Subcision: what it is

Subcision is a procedure in which the professional releases, beneath the skin, the fibers (bands) that tether a scar or depression to the deeper tissue. Once that traction is released, the surface tends to rise, and the tissue can fill in through a repair response in the space created. The name comes from Latin: "to cut from below".

What is it usually considered for?

The main indication is the depressed scar, such as the atrophic scars left by acne, in which the skin is anchored to the deeper layers and forms a depression. In some reports, subcision is also considered for certain retractions and fixed folds, when the problem is traction and not lack of volume. If the cause is volume loss, the reasoning is different, and subcision on its own makes no sense.

How should the patient understand the procedure?

The most honest explanation is that subcision does not "fill" anything: it releases what is stuck and lets the skin reposition itself. The effect depends on the type of scar, the skin and the individual healing response, and may take more than one session. No result can be promised, and a prior assessment is essential.

What precautions and risks apply?

Because it involves passing a needle or a cannula under the skin, some degree of ecchymosis and swelling is expected. Described risks include hematoma, infection, nodules, surface irregularity, altered sensation and, in vascularized areas, injury to vessels and nerves. Knowledge of the anatomical plane is essential, because the face has arteries, veins and nerve branches that vary from person to person.

Subcision with filler or biostimulator

In practice, subcision is sometimes combined with a filling agent or a biostimulator, to support the released space while the tissue remodels, stimulating neocollagenesis in the dermis and the subcutaneous tissue. That combination, the choice of product and the technique are at the discretion of the qualified professional, after assessment and according to the rules of their professional board. To understand the product itself, see collagen biostimulator.

In Harmy

The app does not simulate subcision or scars. Marking points such as Nasolabial Fold and Chin serves to discuss volume, and the projection is always illustrative. Harmy must not be used to promise scar correction.

Also called: subcision, subcutaneous release.