WOUND REPAIR
SECONDARY INTENTIONS
This type of wound repair allows the body to heal the wound on its own. This option is very reasonable when the wound is shallow, small and in specific locations of the body. This option generally has less pain and can offer excellent results. The wound care may be more prolonged.
The wound may take about 6-12 weeks or longer to heal over completely. You have no activity restrictions; however, strenuous activity in the first 48 hours may increase the risk for bleeding.
SUTURES
Sutures speeds up the healing process and offers excellent results especially when the scar can be oriented parallel or in the lines of facial expression or wrinkling.
In the weeks following suture removal, the suture line has only 5-7% of its original strength. In order to optimize your scar, and minimize the risk of bleeding, please refrain from activities, which place strain on the site for at least 2-3 weeks.
FLAPS
In some instances, it may not be possible to reconstruct the hole made after surgery with a standard surgical closure due to the anatomical site or if the surrounding skin has limited laxity. In such circumstances the hole may be closed with a flap, which requires an understanding of the three-dimensional geometric movement of the surrounding skin.
GRAFTS
A graft is when skin is harvested from areas of similar colour and texture, which is then sutured into the hole made after surgery. The donor site is closed like a standard surgical excision. Once the graft is transplanted, it is secured into place with sutures and then it is covered with a special bolster dressing that is sutured into place. The graft relies on the blood supply and nutrients from the bed on which it is placed for survival. Therefore, a lot of care and rest is required to provide the best opportunity for the graft to take and survive. The bolster dressing is left on for one to two weeks until you see the nurse for removal of sutures.