Kare Plastic Surgery & Skin Health Center · Santa Monica & Los Angeles
Scar Removal & Revision
Los Angeles
804 7th Street, Santa Monica, CA 90403 · Near Montana Avenue · (310) 998-5533
Surgical ear keloid removal, facial scar revision, no-tension closure, and intraoperative cortisone — by UCLA-trained national scar authority Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian at Kare Plastic Surgery in Santa Monica
Call (310) 998-5533 Request a Consultation
UCLASchool of Medicine Graduate
No-TensionClosure + Intraoperative Cortisone
20 YrsScar Revision Experience
Scar Removal & Revision Los Angeles
Our Expertise is in Scar Mitigation
Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon Graduate, UCLA School of Medicine · National Scar Authority · Ear Keloid Surgery · Facial Scar Revision ·
Every scar tells a story, but not every patient wants that story visible on their face, ear, neck, or body. Scar revision is among the most nuanced surgical disciplines in plastic surgery because the scar you are trying to improve is itself the result of the body’s wound healing response to a prior injury. The outcome of scar revision depends not just on the technical execution of the revision surgery itself, but on the complete protocol that begins at the time of closure and continues for 6–12 months afterward.
At Kare Plastic Surgery & Skin Health Center at 804 7th Street in Santa Monica near Montana Avenue, UCLA School of Medicine graduate and dual board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS is a nationally recognized scar authority with 20 years of scar revision experience
90%Keloid recurrence with surgery alone (no post-op protocol)
No-TensionClosure standard at every Kare scar revision
6 moPost-op injection + laser protocol duration
AllScar types and locations treated
Scar Revision Services at Kare Plastic Surgery Santa Monica
- Ear keloid excision — complete removal, cartilage preservation
- Facial scar revision — along Langer’s lines, no-tension closure
- Hypertrophic scar excision with steroid at closure
- Contracture scar release — z-plasty, w-plasty, skin grafting
- Keloid injection series — triamcinolone + 5-FU, 6 months
- Vbeam 595nm laser — vascular scar suppression, 4–6 weeks post-op
- Post-surgical scar management protocol — silicone + compression
- Acne scar, burn scar, and traumatic scar revision
Kare Plastic Surgery · Santa Monica · Near Montana Avenue
Have a scar you want removed or revised? Schedule a consultation with Dr. Karamanoukian today.
Patient Result — Kare Plastic Surgery, Santa Monica · Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian
Ear Keloid Removal — Before & After Surgery
Actual patient of Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian · Auricular keloid — complete helical rim · Individual results may vary
Before — Auricular Keloid Large lobulated keloid encompassing entire helical rim and antihelix · Satellite superior helix nodule
After — Post-Surgical Result Complete excision · Natural ear anatomy restored · Fine closure lines with sutures in situ
Before: A large, lobulated, smooth-surfaced auricular keloid encompassing the entire helical rim and antihelix with a smaller satellite nodule at the superior helix — a complex multi-lobular keloid requiring complete excision with preservation of the underlying cartilaginous ear architecture. After (immediate post-op): The ear anatomy is fully and precisely restored — natural helical contour, antihelix definition, and conchal bowl all preserved — with fine suture closure lines visible. The complete removal and architectural preservation demonstrate Dr. Karamanoukian’s mastery of ear keloid surgery. Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian · Kare Plastic Surgery, Santa Monica
Scar Types Treated
Every Scar Type — One Expert Approach
Keloid Scars
Common on ears, chest, shoulders, and jawline in genetically predisposed patients. Ear keloids as shown in the clinical photography above respond to complete surgical excision with intraoperative cortisone. Surgery alone carries 90% recurrence; Dr. Karamanoukian’s trimodal protocol dramatically reduces this risk.
Hypertrophic Scars
Raised, red scars that remain within the wound boundaries — unlike keloids, which extend beyond. Hypertrophic scars result from excessive tension, infection, or wound healing delays. Treated with excision along Langer’s lines, no-tension deep closure, and post-operative silicone compression and steroid injection series.
Widened / Stretched Scars
Flat but wide scars from wounds closed under tension — most common on the back, chest, and extremities. Revised by excision and layered deep dermal closure to re-approximate the dermis before skin closure, dramatically reducing the mechanical tension that drives scar widening.
Contracture Scars
Scars that restrict movement by tightening across joints or skin creases — common after burns and deep lacerations. Treated with z-plasty (geometric scar rearrangement), w-plasty, or skin grafting to redirect scar forces and restore full range of motion.
Facial Scars
Post-traumatic, surgical, or acne scars on the face — the cosmetically most critical scar location. Dr. Karamanoukian places facial revision incisions precisely along Langer’s lines of minimal skin tension and closes with layered deep dermal sutures, producing the finest possible facial scar line.
Depressed / Atrophic Scars
Scars that heal below the surrounding skin level — including acne pitting, surgical depression, and ice pick scars. Treated with subcision, dermal fillers for volume restoration, fractional CO2 laser resurfacing, and TCA Cross for focal depth correction.
The Kare Low-Recurrence Protocol — What Happens After Surgery
The most important insight in keloid and hypertrophic scar surgery is that surgery alone produces the worst outcomes. Surgery alone for keloid removal can lead to recurrence rates up to 90% in some cases because the surgical wound re-activates the same pathological collagen response that created the original keloid. Dr. Karamanoukian’s low-recurrence protocol addresses this at every phase:
At surgery: Complete keloid excision + no-tension layered closure + intraoperative triamcinolone injection into wound margins before skin closure. Post-op weeks 1–8: Silicone compression tape worn continuously. Post-op weeks 4–6: Vbeam 595nm pulsed dye laser — targets the new vascular network driving recurrent collagen overproduction. Post-op months 1–6: Sequential triamcinolone + 5-FU injection series every 4–6 weeks. This multi-stage protocol is what produces the durable results visible in Dr. Karamanoukian’s before/after photography.
“We have a passion for keloid treatment. In doing so, we restore confidence to real people devastated by chronic keloids. ”
— Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian · Kare Plastic Surgery, Santa Monica · National Scar Authority
Authority Page · Kare Plastic Surgery & Skin Health Center Scar Revision Surgery Los Angeles — The Complete Authority Page at Kare →
The complete scar revision surgery guide at Kare Plastic Surgery — all scar types, all treatment modalities, before/after gallery, and the low-recurrence keloid protocol by nationally recognized scar authority Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian, dual board-certified plastic surgeon in Santa Monica and Los Angeles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I get scar removal and revision in Los Angeles?
Kare Plastic Surgery at 804 7th Street in Santa Monica near Montana Avenue offers expert surgical scar revision by UCLA-trained dual board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian — national scar authority, 20 years experience, ear keloid surgery, facial scar revision, no-tension closure, and complete post-operative recurrence prevention protocol. Call (310) 998-5533. We serve patients from Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and all of Los Angeles.
How long should I wait before getting scar revision surgery?
Most plastic surgeons recommend waiting a minimum of 12 months after the original injury or surgery before scar revision — because scars continue to mature, soften, and fade for up to 18–24 months. A scar that appears thick and red at 3 months may be significantly improved at 12 months without any intervention. The exception is keloid scars, which do not improve with time and may worsen — early intervention for keloids with injection therapy is appropriate from the first sign of keloid formation. Dr. Karamanoukian assesses scar maturity at consultation and advises on the optimal timing for intervention based on the individual scar characteristics.
Can ear keloids be permanently removed?
Ear keloids can be permanently controlled with a comprehensive treatment protocol — but surgery alone has a recurrence rate of up to 90%. The low-recurrence approach combines complete excision with intraoperative cortisone injection, followed by a structured 6-month post-operative protocol of triamcinolone + 5-FU injections every 4–6 weeks plus Vbeam laser starting at 4–6 weeks. Dr. Karamanoukian’s trimodal keloid protocol produces durable results — as documented in the ear keloid before/after on this page — with long-term recurrence rates dramatically lower than surgery alone.
Related Resources at Kare Plastic Surgery
Kare Plastic Surgery & Skin Health Center · Santa Monica · Near Montana Avenue
Schedule a Scar Revision Consultation
Schedule a scar revision consultation with Dr. Raffy Karamanoukian, UCLA School of Medicine graduate, dual board-certified plastic surgeon, and national scar authority — surgical scar revision, ear keloid removal, no-tension closure, and complete low-recurrence post-operative protocol in Santa Monica and Los Angeles.