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Wound and Scar Care

Scar Treatment Excision and Resuturing

Doctor-led scar excision and resuturing in Manchester, revising scars that healed poorly.

Scar Treatment Excision and Resuturing

Revising a scar surgically

Some scars do not respond well to creams, injections or lasers alone. A scar that is wide, stretched, pulled, thick or that healed poorly may need to be revised surgically. Scar excision and resuturing involves removing the existing scar and closing the wound again with careful technique, so that the new scar heals more narrowly and neatly.

At Evolve Aesthetics in Manchester, scar revision is carried out by doctors as a minor procedure under local anaesthetic, within our wound and scar care service. It is appropriate for suitable scars on the face and body, and it is often combined with other scar treatments before or afterwards. We will always discuss realistic outcomes, because no scar can be completely removed.

At a glance

  • Price: From £250
  • Appointment time: Varies with scar size, often 45 to 90 minutes
  • Anaesthesia: Local anaesthetic
  • Downtime: Days of healing, with stitches removed after about 1 to 2 weeks
  • Results: Scar matures over 6 to 12 months or longer
  • Location: Manchester

Why choose it

What scar revision can achieve

Narrower scars

Excision and careful closure can replace a wide or stretched scar with a finer line.

Improved position and direction

A scar can sometimes be reshaped or realigned to sit more naturally with the skin's tension lines.

Removal of poorly healed tissue

Thickened, uneven or irregular scar tissue can be removed and replaced with a cleaner closure.

Foundation for further treatment

A well-closed scar is easier to improve further with silicone, laser or other options.

Which scars may benefit

Scars that often respond to revision include wide or stretched scars from surgery or injury, scars that heal with a step or ridge and scars that were poorly aligned at the time of closure. Scars that pull or distort nearby features, such as a lip or eyebrow, can also be considered, and some raised scars are revised after other treatments have been tried.

Some scars are less suitable. Keloid scars can recur, and surgery may stimulate new growth, so they are usually treated with steroid injections or combination approaches rather than excision alone. Very large or complex scars may need a plastic surgeon. Your doctor will explain whether scar excision is a sensible option, and will tell you honestly if it is better to wait or choose another approach.

What happens during the procedure

After consultation, photographs and consent, the skin is cleaned and the area is marked. Local anaesthetic is injected, which may sting briefly, and the area becomes numb. The doctor then removes the scar in a planned shape, often an ellipse, and closes the wound in layers with fine stitches to reduce tension on the surface. You should feel pressure and movement but no sharp pain.

A dressing is applied afterwards, and you receive instructions on keeping it clean and dry. Stitches are usually removed after around one to two weeks, depending on the location. Early on, the new scar looks red and slightly raised. It takes many months to mature, soften and fade, which is why patience and careful aftercare are important.

Aftercare and scar maturation

Healing well matters as much as the procedure. Typical advice includes the following.

Once the wound has closed, your doctor may recommend silicone gel or sheets, massage and sun protection to support scar maturation. Further treatment, such as laser or injections, may be considered if needed.

  • Keep the wound clean and dry for the period advised
  • Avoid stretching, lifting or straining the area while it heals
  • Do not pick or scratch scabs or dressings
  • Return for suture removal and scar checks as arranged
  • Protect the scar from sun and consider silicone products once healed

Risks and honest expectations

Scar revision carries risks, including bleeding, infection, delayed healing, wound separation, a scar that is wide or raised again and changes in skin sensation or colour. In some people, particularly those prone to keloid or hypertrophic scarring, the new scar may be no better than the old one. Smoking and certain medical conditions can slow healing, and we discuss these before booking.

Please contact us if you develop increasing redness, warmth, discharge, fever or severe pain, and seek urgent medical care through NHS 111, urgent care or A&E if you are very unwell. We cannot promise a particular result, and we do not suggest surgery where we think it is unlikely to help. Our aim is to give you clear advice, careful technique and thorough aftercare.

Your appointment

What happens at your appointment

01Consultation and scar assessment
02Planning, photographs and consent
03Local anaesthetic
04Scar excision and layered closure
05Dressing, aftercare and suture removal plan

Ready to talk about Scar Treatment Excision and Resuturing? Book a consultation at our Cheetham Hill clinic.

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Related treatments: Intralesional Steroid Injections · Scar Treatment CO2 Laser · Wound Assessment & Suture Removal

FAQ

Scar Treatment Excision and Resuturing FAQs

No. Scar revision aims to make the scar narrower, flatter or better positioned, but a scar will always remain.

Local anaesthetic numbs the area. You may feel a sting from the injection, then pressure rather than pain.

The wound usually closes within one to two weeks, but the scar takes six to twelve months or longer to mature.

Surgery on a keloid can trigger regrowth, so it is usually combined with other treatments or avoided. Your doctor will advise on the safest approach.

It depends on the location of the scar, but strenuous activity that stretches the wound is usually avoided until healing is secure. We will give specific advice.

Often yes. Silicone, steroid injections or laser may be used before or after revision, with timing planned by your doctor.

Scar excision and resuturing starts from £250, and the final price depends on the size and location of the scar, confirmed at consultation.

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