Remove scar above the knee?

Hello,

About 7 months ago my 8-year old son cut his leg (just above the knee) and had 17 stitches in his leg (2 internal stitches & 15 external stitches). Currently, his ability to walk/run does not seem impacted by the cut but I'm concerned about any long-term knee problems.

Is it possible that scar tissue from the cut could move down into the knee as he grows? Or is the scar likely to move up on his leg as he grows?

If the scar is likely to move down toward the knee is it possible to reduce the risk of knee problems through plastic surgery?

Thanks for the help.

Will

Will,

Welcome to the forums!

As children grow and their skin stretches to accommodate that, it typically stretches in one uniform direction, UP! The external scar should move slightly up his leg as he gets older and will more than likely fade to the point of being virtually gone by the time he graduates high school. There is no way to know for sure, but from the sound of it, I would say that his risk of having scar tissue problems are pretty low. :)

Hi Will, I agree that the scar should not cause any problems with running or activity. There is a lot of fatty tissue in the way of the knee joint. The internal stitch may have been done to repair torn muscle, but the good part about youth is that you heal fast! As far as making sure the scar does not get worse, I would apply suncreen daily if the area is exposed. Sunscreen is the best way to prevent a scar from growing. Let us know if you have any more questions.