Ask a Surgeon - Miscellaneous - I was born with a cleft lip and palate which were repaired shortly after I was...

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I was born with a cleft lip and palate which were repaired shortly after I was born. ...

Q:

I was born with a cleft lip and palate which were repaired shortly after I was born. I am now 18 and would like to have it redone as I have a remaining scar. If I have surgery now would it permanently remove the scar, resulting in the area looking normal?

A:

Thank you for your inquiry. There are no methods available today to completely remove a scar. There are sometimes methods that can be used to IMPROVE them; there will always be a scar, but it should be improved. Not everyone is a candidate for scar revision and the risks may not be worth the small benefit you might receive. With cleft lips, this might be more challenging and involve more then a simple scar revision. What I would recommend is that you be evaluated by a board certified plastic surgeon that specializes in cleft lip repair. This way you will find out if you are a good candidate for a revision. Good luck!