A Narrative Review on Management of Postsurgical Scarring for Facial Cosmetic Procedures

Postoperative scarring is a critical determinant of patient satisfaction following facial cosmetic surgery. Unlike scars elsewhere on the body, facial scars are exposed and subject to movement, making optimal scar management especially important for aesthetic and functional outcomes. Although numerous prevention and treatment modalities exist, much of the available evidence is derived from the broader scar management literature rather than studies specifically focused on facial cosmetic surgery. This narrative review synthesizes the available evidence on postoperative scar management following facial and neck cosmetic surgery across treatment modalities. These include silicone-based products, injectable therapies, biologics, laser and energy-based treatments, microneedling, radiotherapy, surgical techniques, and other adjunctive interventions. Existing literature is largely concentrated on silicone products, botulinum toxin, and nonablative laser therapies. Meanwhile, pressure therapy, antimetabolite injections, and vascular laser treatments remain understudied in facial-specific populations. Postoperative facial literature is further characterized by considerable heterogeneity in study design, treatment protocols, outcome measures, and follow-up duration. Current strategies for managing postoperative facial scars increasingly favor multimodal approaches that target inflammation, mechanotransduction, and aberrant collagen remodeling. Although these principles are consistent with established scar management strategies, facial cosmetic surgery presents unique aesthetic and anatomic considerations that distinguish it from the burn and pathologic scarring populations that dominate the existing literature. Consequently, synthesizing the literature on facial cosmetic surgery is essential to guide treatment selection and optimize clinical decision-making. Future research should prioritize standardized outcome reporting and larger prospective studies to establish treatment protocols tailored to this patient population.