Hospital
Burn Scar Reconstruction
Also known as: Post Burn Scar Surgery, Tissue Expansion Surgery, Scar Contracture Release, Free FlapScar Repair
Recovery
Each surgical stage requires 1–3 weeks inpatient.
About Burn Scar Reconstruction
Treated areas:Body, Hands, Face, Neck
Burn scar reconstruction is specialized surgery to repair skin damaged by burns. It improves how your skin works, moves, feels, and looks. Our goal is not just better appearance, but also restoring movement, reducing pain, and releasing tight scar tissue that limits your daily activities.
This treatment is performed by qualified reconstructive or burn surgeons.
Why It Is Needed
Severe burns often heal into thick, hard scar tissue that can:
- Tighten and pull skin
- Stop joints from moving freely
- Cause pain, itching, or discomfort
- Change facial shape or features
- Make daily tasks hard
This tight, pulling condition is called a contracture, reconstruction fixes or improves this problem.
Common Treatment
- Contracture Release Surgery: Removes tight scar tissue to restore movement and reduce pulling, ideal for joints.
- Skin Grafting: Uses healthy skin (split or full thickness) to cover wounds, improve healing and protection.
- Flap Reconstruction: Moves living tissue with blood supply for strong, natural-looking repair of deep damage.
- Tissue Expansion: Grows extra matching skin to replace scars, giving seamless results.
- Laser Scar Therapy: Resurfaces scars to flatten, soften, fade color, and relieve discomfort.
- Fat Grafting: Injects your own fat to soften scars, fill gaps, and improve skin quality.
- Z-Plasty / Tissue Rearrangement: Repositions scars to release tension and help them blend naturally.
Ideal Candidate
- Adults and children with functional or disfiguring hypertrophic scars, contracture scars, or keloid scarring following significant burn injury, particularly affecting the face, neck, hands, axillae, or joint-crossing regions.
- Individuals who wants freer joint movement and better function
- Those need improved appearance: flatter, softer, thinner scars; natural skin tone; better shape and symmetry
- Individuals which experiences discomfort such as itching, burning, tightness, pain, or sensitivity
Proven Results
- Better movement & function: Freer movement of joints and improved facial function (blinking, eating, breathing, speaking).
- Better appearance: Flatter, softer, thinner scars; natural skin tone/texture; improved shape and symmetry.
- Relief from discomfort: Reduced itching, burning, tightness, pain, and sensitivity.
Real Results
How It Is Performed
Stage 1 — Scar Maturation & Planning
Burn scars must mature (typically ≥ 6 months post-burn) before definitive reconstruction; interim pressure-garment therapy and silicone-sheet management are prescribed.
Stage 2 — Tissue Expander Insertion
Where expanded skin flaps are planned, silicone expanders are inserted adjacent to the scar; over 4–6 months, gradual saline expansion produces surplus tissue.
Stage 3 — Scar Release & Flap Rearrangement
Contracture released; expanded skin mobilised over the defect using Z-plasty, W-plasty, or local rotation flap principles; or donor free-flap (ALT, RFFF) raised and anastomosed to local recipient vessels by microsurgery.
Stage 4 — Refinement Procedures
Secondary scar revision, dermabrasion, fractional laser, or fat grafting to optimise final contour and colour match.
Doctors Performing This
Your Timeline
Preparation
- Wait for scar maturation (minimum 6–12 months post-burn for elective reconstruction)
- Complete vascular Doppler assessment for free-flap planning
- Physiotherapy consultation for range-of-motion baseline
- Full blood work and cardiopulmonary clearance
- Pre-operative pressure-garment measurement for post-operative use
Frequently Asked Questions
Can all burn scars be fully removed?
Total scar elimination is not achievable in surgical reconstruction — the goal is functional restoration and significant aesthetic improvement. The degree of improvement depends on scar extent, location, age of patient, and skin type.
At what age can children undergo burn scar reconstruction?
Specific reconstructive stages are planned around the child's growth — some early procedures correct functional limitations in infancy; definitive aesthetic reconstruction is often deferred until skeletal maturity.
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