Life After Burns

Restoring Function, Form, and Hope After a Burn Injury

Surviving a significant burn injury is the beginning of a long and courageous journey of healing. After the initial wounds have closed, survivors are often left with significant scars and scar contractures—the tightening of scar tissue that can severely limit movement, cause discomfort, and alter appearance. Burn reconstructive surgery is a highly specialised field dedicated to improving the quality of life for burn survivors. Our expert reconstructive team in Antalya provides a compassionate, multi-staged approach to restore function, soften scars, and help you reclaim your life.

A Multi-Staged Approach to Burn Reconstruction

Burn reconstruction is a carefully planned journey, not a single operation. Procedures are typically performed after the initial burn wounds have healed and scars have matured, often in multiple stages over months or even years. Your personalised surgical plan may involve a combination of advanced techniques:

• Contracture Release: This is a fundamental procedure where tight, restrictive scar tissue is surgically released to immediately increase the range of motion in a joint.

• Skin Grafting: Following a contracture release, the open area is often covered with a skin graft—a thin layer of healthy skin taken from another part of your body.

• Flap Surgery: For more complex areas, a flap of skin, fat, and sometimes muscle, complete with its own blood supply, is moved to the site to provide a more durable and pliable surface.

• Tissue Expansion: In this technique, a silicone balloon expander is placed under healthy skin near the scarred area. Over several weeks, it is gradually filled, encouraging the body to grow new, healthy skin that can then be used to replace the scar tissue.

The Life-Restoring Benefits

The primary goal of burn reconstruction is to improve your daily life:

• Increased Range of Motion: Regain the ability to move more freely, especially around joints like the hands, elbows, neck, and knees.

• Softer, More Flexible Skin: Replace hard, restrictive scar tissue with more pliable skin, improving comfort.

• Reduced Scarring and Improved Appearance: Advanced techniques can significantly improve the texture, thickness, and overall look of burn scars.

• Improved Daily Function and Confidence: These physical improvements combine to restore independence, function, and the confidence to move forward.

Your Reconstructive Journey

We are committed to guiding you with expertise and compassion.

• Timing of Surgery: Reconstructive surgery begins after initial healing is complete and often involves multiple, staged operations over time to achieve the best possible results.

• Recovery and Physiotherapy: Recovery from each stage can take several weeks to months. It is critical to understand that intensive, specialised physiotherapy is an absolutely essential partner to the surgery. It is required to maximize and maintain the functional gains achieved in the operating room.

• Long-Term Outlook: The improvements in function are permanent. Scars will continue to mature and change for over a year, and a lifelong commitment to scar care is often beneficial.

• Potential Risks: Risks include graft or flap loss, infection, and the potential for contractures to recur, particularly if physiotherapy protocols are not followed diligently.

Disclaimer: The information provided on this website is for general educational purposes only and is not medical advice or a diagnosis. A personal consultation with a qualified reconstructive surgeon in our Antalya clinic is essential to develop a long-term care plan.