Scars or other disfigurement of the head, face, or neck DC 7800
VA rates it under diagnostic code 7800 in 38 CFR 4.118. Body system: Skin.
Also searched as: facial scar, disfigurement.
How VA rates it
The schedule allows 4 rating levels for this code: 10%, 30%, 50%, and 80%. VA picks the level whose criteria best match your symptoms and records.
Source: 38 CFR 4.118 on eCFR. Read the full criteria there before you file.
Rating levels and criteria
| Rating | What the schedule says |
|---|---|
| 80% | With visible or palpable tissue loss and either gross distortion or asymmetry of three or more features or paired sets of features (nose, chin, forehead, eyes (including eyelids), ears (auricles), cheeks, lips), or; with six or more characteristics of disfigurement |
| 50% | With visible or palpable tissue loss and either gross distortion or asymmetry of two features or paired sets of features (nose, chin, forehead, eyes (including eyelids), ears (auricles), cheeks, lips), or; with four or five characteristics of disfigurement |
| 30% | With visible or palpable tissue loss and either gross distortion or asymmetry of one feature or paired set of features (nose, chin, forehead, eyes (including eyelids), ears (auricles), cheeks, lips), or; with two or three characteristics of disfigurement |
| 10% | With one characteristic of disfigurement |
Criteria text from 38 CFR 4.118, eCFR as of November 10, 2026. The eCFR is the official source if anything here differs.
Scar 5 or more inches (13 or more cm.) in length.
Scar at least one-quarter inch (0.6 cm.) wide at widest part.
Surface contour of scar elevated or depressed on palpation.
Scar adherent to underlying tissue.
Skin hypo-or hyper-pigmented in an area exceeding six square inches (39 sq. cm.).
Skin texture abnormal (irregular, atrophic, shiny, scaly, etc.) in an area exceeding six square inches (39 sq. cm.).
Underlying soft tissue missing in an area exceeding six square inches (39 sq. cm.).
Skin indurated and inflexible in an area exceeding six square inches (39 sq. cm.).
Notes in the schedule (5)
Note (1): The 8 characteristics of disfigurement, for purposes of evaluation under § 4.118, are:
Note (2): Rate tissue loss of the auricle under DC 6207 (loss of auricle) and anatomical loss of the eye under DC 6061 (anatomical loss of both eyes) or DC 6063 (anatomical loss of one eye), as appropriate.
Note (3): Take into consideration unretouched color photographs when evaluating under these criteria.
Note (4): Separately evaluate disabling effects other than disfigurement that are associated with individual scar(s) of the head, face, or neck, such as pain, instability, and residuals of associated muscle or nerve injury, under the appropriate diagnostic code(s) and apply § 4.25 to combine the evaluation(s) with the evaluation assigned under this diagnostic code.
Note (5): The characteristic(s) of disfigurement may be caused by one scar or by multiple scars; the characteristic(s) required to assign a particular evaluation need not be caused by a single scar in order to assign that evaluation.
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Rating schedule data as of November 10, 2026. Secondary and presumptive links checked November 13, 2026.
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