Whether you’re planning a breast augmentation, tummy tuck, facelift, or other procedure, it’s natural to be concerned about scarring after plastic surgery. While scarring is inevitable after any surgical procedure, you can ensure your scars appear as inconspicuous as possible with a few simple steps.
Read on for tips to help your plastic surgery scars heal beautifully and effectively so your attractive new results can take the spotlight.
Apply Silicone Sheeting
Silicone scar therapy encourages healing by keeping the affected area hydrated and protected from the elements. These products come as medical-grade silicone gels and sheets, which you can use alone or together. They often also contain vitamins and other ingredients that aid in healing.
Studies confirm this approach effectively minimizes scarring. The most significant differences are noticeable around the 6-month mark compared to those who did not use silicone treatments.
You can use silicone products as soon as your incisions have healed completely, typically after 2 to 3 weeks. You’ll see the best results if you wear them around the clock (or as often as possible) for 3 to 6 months following your surgery.
Try Laser Treatments
If you’re unhappy with how your scars look after they have healed, you can improve their appearance with certain laser treatments. Laser skin resurfacing is an excellent way to flatten scars, as it encourages new collagen production and stimulates your body’s natural healing response.
Other laser and light treatments, such as intense pulsed light (IPL), minimize the red pigmentation common in surgical scars, helping them blend in with the surrounding skin.
Never Forget the SPF
Wearing SPF is essential for preventing scar darkening and keeping skin healthy and hydrated. Make sure you opt for at least SPF 30 and reapply throughout the day, especially if you’re sweating or getting in and out of water.
Consider Scar Revision Surgery
If you are unhappy with a scar even after giving it a full year to heal, you may be a candidate for scar revision surgery. This procedure creates a new scar with careful suturing and sometimes reshaping, such as breaking a long linear incision into smaller sections to make the scar appear less visible.
Make Sure To Choose the Right Plastic Surgeon
Good plastic surgeons know scarring is a significant concern for their patients, and they take care to minimize the cosmetic effects of any necessary incisions. This includes disguising scars along natural lines or creases in the body and closing incisions in a way that creates thin, barely visible lines.
As you look through before-and-after photo galleries of potential surgeons in your area, keep an eye out for any visible scars in photos and whether those scars draw your attention away from the results.
You can learn more about what to look for when choosing a plastic surgeon in my recent blog post.
Have Questions?
While scarring is an unavoidable part of any surgery, you have many ways to minimize them and keep the focus on your dream results. That starts with consulting with your board-certified plastic surgeon about what your scars may look like and how your surgeon plans to address them before, during, and after your procedure.
If you would like to discuss your concerns about scarring after plastic surgery with a Staten Island plastic surgeon, please request a consultation online or call (718) 720-9400 to get in touch.
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