Genetic Factors That Affect Plastic Surgery Scarring

By Author: Stitch Rojas
Total Articles: 165
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Among the top genetic and health factors that affect the quality of plastic surgery scar healing are diabetes, conditions treated with steroids and the oiliness or thickness of a patient's skin.

Diabetes is a disease characterized by extreme swings in blood glucose (sugar) levels. These swings have multiple triggers, including stress. High levels of sugar in the blood can impair healing. If you have diabetes and plan to undergo plastic surgery, it's imperative that your plastic surgeon know about your condition. Careful monitoring of blood glucose to keep it within normal levels is critical to not only minimizing your plastic surgery scarring but, more importantly, keeping you safe.

Other medical conditions such as asthma, allergies, inflammation and pain also can affect plastic surgery scarring. That's because many of them are treated with systemic steroids, which can thin the skin. This can significantly slow the healing process. Not sure whether a medication you're taking contains steroids? A clue is in the name. Steroid medications usually end with the letters "one." Commonly prescribed examples are prednisone ...
... and dexamethasone.

Natural characteristics of your skin also can factor into your plastic surgery scarring potential. Oily, thick skin heals faster and smoother than does dry, thin skin. Younger patients heal quicker than do older ones, but there is a catch. Because young skin is better at building collagen, it also tends to form thicker scars.

To best determine your plastic surgery scarring potential, talk with your plastic surgeon about all of the pertinent factors including you and your family's medical history, any medications you've taken regularly over the past year, recent chronic illnesses and nutritional and lifestyle habits. Reach Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery at 904-247-8522.

As double Board Certified Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, Dr. Phillip and Roberto Garcia of Garcia Facial Plastic Surgery and Reviva Medical Spa are specialists in plastic reconstructive and cosmetic surgery for aging face procedures, rhinoplasty (nasal surgery), and eyelid plastic surgery.