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.