Early laser and adjunctive sequential intervention for linear postoperative scars: a practice-oriented narrative review

Early laser treatment is frequently requested for linear postoperative scars.However, scar visibility depends on wound stability, erythema, thickness, width, texture, symptoms, mechanical tension, anatomic site, and pigmentary risk rather than timing alone.This narrative review proposes a practical laser-oriented sequence for dermatologic scar clinics after complete epithelialization.A focused PubMed/MEDLINE search, updated on 6 August 2026 and supplemented by backward citation screening, identified guidelines, systematic reviews, randomized and split-scar trials, comparative studies, and clinically informative reports on vascular and fractional lasers, combined approaches, silicone therapy, tension reduction, intralesional therapy, and surgical revision.Early scar care should begin with wound safety and baseline risk reduction before procedural escalation.Vascular-dominant scars may be considered for vascular-targeting lasers, whereas texture-, thickness-, or pliability-dominant scars may be considered for fractional ablative or non-ablative lasers.Raised symptomatic scars, widening scars, and pigment-altered scars require additional assessment and may need adjunctive or delayed intervention.Early laser intervention is best positioned as a phenotype-directed adjunct rather than a universal first-line procedure.