Summary of main results
Head and neck incisions can result in the some of the most noticeable scars of any surgical specialty, with the resulting cosmetic defects often having a detrimental effect on patient’s QOL. Various wound closure methods are employed in head and neck surgery, but there are few studies examining how these ultimately influence the appearance of scars in the neck. The primary aim of this review was therefore to determine if any method resulted in a superior cosmetic outcome. It was found that in the short term there was no significant difference in scar appearance between interrupted skin sutures, staples and tissue adhesives. Staples and tissue adhesives were found to be faster but more expensive than sutures, which may be the only variables that influence a surgeon’s choice of technique.