New developments in Scar Management Offer Encouraging News for African American Patients

The latest developments in Plastic Surgery is allowing African American patients to have plastic surgery with limited scarring and wonderful cosmetic results. Plastic surgery is definitely a realistic option for this ethnic group as surgeons are coming out with new techniques to reduce and manage unsightly keloid and hypertrophic scarring, says The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

Keloids and hypertrophic scars occur during the healing process and most commonly happen to people of color. According to ASPS stats, 373,478 African Americans had cosmetic surgery in 2001. About 227,000 people had scar revision procedures in 2001. A patient can opt for less invasive techniques to avoid scarring, but has to compromise on the cosmetic result, according to Julius Few MD, ASPS member, Chicago.