Scar Revision Treatment Guide

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What is a Scar Revision?

Scar revision is surgery to improve the appearance of an existing scar. The old scar is removed and the wound is closed more carefully, often reoriented to follow a natural skin crease, or broken into a zigzag pattern so the eye no longer reads it as one hard line. It is also used to release tight scars that restrict movement. Small facial scars are usually done under local anesthetic in the office.

The most important thing to understand: scar revision does not remove a scar. It trades a scar you dislike for one that is thinner, flatter, better positioned or less visible. Any provider promising erasure is overselling.

It is also not acne scar treatment, a field of indented acne scarring is treated with subcision, microneedling, RF microneedling or fractional laser, all of which have their own pages here. And laser scar treatment for color and texture belongs to resurfacing lasers like Fraxel and CO2, which can be part of the overall plan but are a different service. Keloid scars need their own protocol: cutting a keloid out alone frequently brings it back, sometimes larger, so keloid surgery is combined with treatments like steroid injections, pressure or silicone.

How much does a Scar Revision cost?

Surgical scar revision nationally typically starts at $3,000, and depends heavily on the size, location and complexity of the scar.

Small facial scar

Local anesthetic, in office

Starting at $3,000

Larger or complex revision

Z-plasty, contracture release

$4,000‑$6,000+

Consultation

Required, pricing is case-by-case

Varies by provider

Last updated August 2026. Estimates reflect national averages and Get Clear Beauty provider data — read how we estimate prices.

What to ask your provider

Is my scar mature enough to revise, or should we wait, it usually needs about a year?
What will the new scar look like, honestly, at one month and at one year?
Am I a keloid risk, and if so what is your full protocol beyond surgery alone?
Would a laser or injections do enough without surgery in my case?
What aftercare will I be doing, silicone, taping, sun protection, and for how long?
Could my scar qualify as functional rather than cosmetic for insurance purposes?

Frequently asked questions

Will the scar be gone afterwards?

No, and any provider who tells you otherwise is overselling. Scar revision replaces a scar you do not like with a scar that is thinner, flatter, better positioned or less visible against the surrounding skin. The goal is to make it harder to notice, not to erase it.

How long should I wait before having a scar revised?

Usually around a year. Scars change a great deal on their own during the first twelve months, and a surprising number improve enough that revision is no longer worth doing. The exception is a scar that restricts movement or pulls on something like an eyelid or the corner of your mouth, which is addressed sooner.

I have keloids. Is surgery a good idea?

Keloids need a specific plan, because cutting one out on its own frequently brings it back, sometimes larger than before. Surgery for keloids is normally combined with other treatments such as steroid injections, pressure therapy or silicone. Find a provider who treats keloids regularly and ask what their full protocol is before agreeing to excision alone.