University of California, Davis
When patients have surgery on the neck, trunk, arms, or legs, stitches are the standard way to close the wound. Wounds always result in a scar, but doctors are always looking for ways to reduce scarring. Several studies have been done to test ways to close wounds that reduce scarring. One idea is to reduce the tension around the cut. One way to reduce tension is to free up the skin around the wound. This procedure is also called "undermining". Some studies have shown that freeing up the skin near the tips of the wound, called the "apices," is helpful for improving the cosmetic outcome of scars. This study will investigate if there are any differences in the appearances of the scar if one tip is undermined and the other is not.
Reducing scar tissue formation and postoperative complications in wound closure has remained the focus of recent studies and decreases the cost and time burden of follow-up visits and procedures. Such studies have highlighted the impact of mechanical forces and tension on scar formation, demonstrating that reducing the mechanical stress within the wound environment results in better aesthetic outcomes. Undermining peripheral and apices of the wound has been used in the closure of large and tight defects allowing the closure of these wounds by reducing the tension. Undermining has been shown to…
Inclusion Criteria: * 18 years of age or older * Able to give informed consent themselves * Patient scheduled for cutaneous surgical procedure on the neck, trunk, and extremities with predicted primary closure * Willing to return for follow-up visit Exclusion Criteria: * Incarceration * Under 18 years of age * Pregnant women * Unable to understand written and oral English * Wounds with predicted closure length less than 3cm
The skin at the tip of the wound will be freed to reduce tension.
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