Scar revision surgery cost in Turkey

What is scar revision surgery?

Scar revision surgery removes or reshapes selected scar tissue and closes the area carefully to improve its appearance, texture or position. The defined plan on this page covers one old operation scar, with the scar size affecting the surgical design. It does not promise that the new scar will disappear: every incision heals with a scar, and the final result depends on skin, healing and the original injury or operation.

Scar revision is different from laser treatment, microneedling, steroid injections and other non-surgical options. The best approach depends on whether the scar is wide, raised, depressed, tethered, painful, pigmented or affecting movement. The treating hospital or clinic handles appointments and communication and arranges practical services only where listed in the written offer; the named surgeon is responsible for the clinical assessment and procedure.

Who might consider a surgical scar revision?

A surgeon may consider revision when one mature scar remains cosmetically troubling, catches on clothing, is uneven or restricts movement. The consultation should cover the original surgery or injury, infection or wound problems, previous scar treatments, skin type, medicines, smoking status and any tendency to develop thick or raised scars.

Revision is usually planned after the original wound has healed and the scar has settled enough to assess, although timing varies by location and problem. Active infection, an open wound, uncontrolled medical conditions, unrealistic expectations or a significant risk of abnormal scarring may mean that surgery is postponed or another treatment is recommended. A scar that is painful, rapidly changing, bleeding or associated with a lump needs medical assessment before cosmetic revision.

How is the scar corrected?

• Assessment and marking: the surgeon examines the scar's length, width, direction, depth, tension and relationship to nearby structures.
• Excision: the visible scar may be removed within the planned boundaries, but the amount that can safely be excised depends on the skin and location.
• Re-closure: the edges are brought together in layers using a closure suited to the area, sometimes changing the direction or shape to reduce tension.
• Aftercare: dressings, silicone, sun protection, massage or later scar treatments may be suggested once the wound is ready.

There is no single technique for every scar. A wide repair, multiple scars, a burn, a graft or a flap may require reconstructive planning and is outside this one-scar guide. Laser sessions and other staged treatments are also not included unless itemised separately.

Operation time, anaesthetic and hospital stay

A small, localised scar revision may take around 1–2 hours, although the duration changes with the scar's size, location, depth and closure. Local, regional or general anaesthesia may be chosen by the surgeon and anaesthetist. Ask whether the procedure is intended to stay within the original scar boundaries and what type of stitches or dressing will be used.

Many limited revisions are day procedures, but observation depends on the anaesthetic, location and facility. The written quote should identify the surgeon, anaesthesia, theatre or clinic fees, dressings, medicines, tests, planned wound review and any stitch-removal arrangements.

Planning your stay in Istanbul

Arrange your trip around assessment, the procedure, a wound check and travel clearance. If the scar is in an area exposed to movement, pressure or clothing friction, you may need a longer local recovery plan. UK NHS guidance advises avoiding flights for 5–7 days after procedures such as liposuction; a small scar revision may have different advice, so follow the surgeon's specific interval and keep flights flexible.

Bring loose clothing that does not rub the wound and arrange help with luggage if the scar is near a joint or another area you must protect. Do not combine early wound healing with swimming, sun exposure, heavy exercise or a tightly scheduled sightseeing itinerary.

Preparing for scar revision

• Share the original operation or injury date, wound-healing problems, infections, previous treatments, allergies, medicines, supplements and any history of raised or thick scars.
• Show the surgeon the scar's symptoms and explain whether your concern is appearance, pain, tightness, movement or irritation.
• Send clear photographs if requested, while remembering that photographs do not replace examination or assessment of skin tension.
• Follow instructions about smoking, alcohol, fasting, medicines and supplements. Never stop a prescribed blood thinner without clinical advice.
• Plan clothing, transport and help around the location of the wound, and do not apply unapproved creams or products before surgery.
• Confirm wound care, bathing, sun protection, exercise, driving, stitch removal and travel instructions before booking flights.

Healing and follow-up

The first phase involves a healing incision, with redness, swelling, soreness, itching or temporary altered sensation possible. Keep the dressing and wound dry or clean exactly as instructed, avoid tension and do not pick at scabs or stitches. Scar colour and firmness may continue to change for months.

A revised scar can still widen, become raised, darken, remain noticeable or recur. Silicone, massage, pressure, steroid treatment, laser or another procedure may be considered later, but only when the wound is ready and the clinician recommends it. Do not judge the final result during the early swelling phase.

Possible complications include bleeding, infection, wound separation, delayed healing, numbness, persistent pain, poor scar formation, recurrence, skin-colour change and an unsatisfactory cosmetic result. Contact the surgical team promptly about increasing redness, pus, fever, wound opening, heavy bleeding, severe pain or another unexpected symptom.

Questions from you

These notes answer questions people raise before they accept a written treatment plan. They describe what that plan should make clear. They are not a promise that any partner hospital uses a particular technique, device or payment arrangement. With your consent, an enquiry may be shared with an authorised healthcare partner.

Has the scar matured enough, or is waiting a better plan?

ASPS says a scar cannot be erased completely. If the colour is still fading, the firmness is still softening and the scar is still changing, revision for appearance alone is usually delayed. A contracture that limits movement at a joint or the neck does not have to wait. There is no single number of months for everyone. Source: ASPS scar revision.

Is this scar hypertrophic, a keloid, depressed, stretched or a contracture, and how does the type change treatment?

ASPS describes a hypertrophic scar as thick, red tissue that stays inside the wound boundary and can widen over time. A keloid grows beyond that boundary, can itch or hurt, and is more common on the ear, chest, shoulder, neck and face. A contracture limits movement, especially after a burn or when a wound crosses a joint. A depressed scar does not call for the same injection as a raised scar. The AAD writes that a keloid removed by excision alone returns in nearly every case. That rate is not assumed for a hypertrophic scar. Sources: ASPS scar revision, AAD keloid treatment.

Which non-surgical treatments are suitable before, or instead of, an operation?

ASPS describes gels, tape and pressure for the surface and the colour, steroid injection to reduce collagen in a raised scar, and laser, dermabrasion and chemical peel for surface irregularity and colour. Filler lifts a depressed scar for a time and has to be repeated. The AAD says steroid treatment for a keloid is usually a series of injections. After injection, 50–80% of keloids shrink, but many grow again within five years. Cryotherapy can help a small keloid. It can leave a permanent light patch on dark skin, and the better result is often looked for over three or more sessions. Silicone sheeting is not placed on a scab or an open wound. Sources: ASPS scar revision procedure, AAD keloid treatment.

If the scar is cut out, how will tension on the new wound be reduced, and which closure will be used?

ASPS describes layered closure for a deep scar: the layer under the skin first, then the surface. On a moving area those layers exist so the tension is not piled onto the skin. Z-plasty and W-plasty break a scar into a direction that is less visible. A flap is used to release a contracture or to move a scar. A tissue expander for a wide burn scar can take more than one stage. Which technique is chosen should be written with the reason for that person. Source: ASPS scar revision procedure.

How will keloid return, and a change in skin tone, be managed?

The AAD writes that nearly all keloids return after excision alone. To reduce return, a steroid series, a pressure garment or earring, silicone, and sometimes superficial radiotherapy are added before or after surgery. A pressure device is worn 12–20 hours a day for months. A steroid injection can leave a light patch on dark skin. Cryotherapy can cause a permanent light patch on dark skin, so it may not be advised. Laser can reduce height and colour. It is not a guarantee on its own. Source: AAD keloid treatment.

What improvement is realistic, and who pays if the scar worsens after I go home?

The ASPS aim is a scar that clashes less with the surrounding skin in colour and texture. The scar does not disappear. A second procedure should not be counted inside the first fee. The NHS asks people having cosmetic treatment abroad to get the cost of further treatment and a return journey in writing beforehand. Travel insurance usually does not cover surgical complications. Infection, a wound that opens, or thickening that returns are separate items from local care and from revision. Sources: ASPS scar revision, NHS advice on cosmetic surgery abroad.