Cosmetic Techniques and Reconstruction Becoming Integral to Head and Neck Surgery

Individuals with hypertrophic scars that are not fading may want to consider injecting steroids to help soften and melt away damaged tissue, said Dr. Terris.

Excision of scars may also be an option. If healing is not satisfactory six months to a year after thyroid surgery, surgical removal of damaged tissue and freshening of the skin edges can help the wound heal properly, added Dr. Terris.

However, even if a scar is excised, this may not help prevent the reformation of hypertrophic scars or keloids, cautioned Dr. Davis.

Balancing Thyroid Cosmesis With Medical Outcomes

While scarring can be minimized in thyroid surgery, cosmesis should not outweigh the importance of medical outcomes, said Dr. Miller. For example, patients with thyroid cancer need to undergo full removal of their malignancy. Surgeons can make the scar look good, but they should not be wondering if they left anything behind, he said.

Moreover, further studies of thyroid surgery cosmesis need to demonstrate that long-term successful treatment is the same or better than conventional surgery, Dr. Miller added. In an attempt to improve cosmesis, you don’t want to interfere with the success of an operation, he concluded.

Whether the surgery is for thyroid disease or any other type of head and neck disease or injury, medical outcomes should always be the priority, concluded Drs. Stack and Terris.

©2007 The Triological Society