PLASTIC SURGERY 101
Keloids don't always appear
Posted on Tue, May. 27, 2008
By DR. CARLOS WOLF
Q:I am an African-American woman who is interested in having cosmetic surgery. I have heard that there is a greater chance of developing keloids after surgery. I am interested in having my eyes and nose done. What are your thoughts and should I worry?
A: Don't worry; let me do that for you. I often get this question in my practice. The prevailing thought is that you would expect to see more keloids (a type of scar that results in an overgrowth of tissue at the site of a healed skin injury).
Often, a keloid is mistaken for a hypertrophic scar (a thickening of the scar), which may be the result of excess tension on the skin, or maybe it just happens. (Don't tell your lawyer that!) I have never personally seen a keloid in a blepharoplasty (eye) incision or a a rhinoplasy (nose) incision, but that does not mean it cannot happen.
I would select a surgeon who has experience performing cosmetic surgery on African-American patients and who can show you before-and-after pictures. Discuss the risks and benefits so you'll have a comfort level before the surgery.
Dr. Carlos Wolf is a board certified facial plastic surgeon practicing in Miami. E-mail:
carloswolfmd@aol.com.
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