How to Prevent Keloid Before Tummy Tuck?

There is no way to absolutely prevent or know if you are going to form keloids. I have had one patient who had portions of the scar keloid while section did not. The same technique was used throughout the incision. Generally avoiding the use of external sutures, achieving rapid healing of the wound surface, and the topical use of pressure and silicone gel sheeting are the best methods of minimizing keloid formation. If portions of the wound separate or open in the early postopeerative... more

We know that the darker the skin tone the higher the risk of keloids and hypertrophic scars. If there is a history of keloids or hypertrophic scars then I try to use less suture or even change from a buried skin stitch to a removable stitch to prevent less inflammatory reaction. Other than that there really isn't much you as a patient can do. Keloids and hypertrophic scars of the abdominal incision are uncommon so I wouldn't worry. If they do start to develop steroid injection can be... more

Usually there is a personal or family history of keloids. There is no way to prevent keloids although steroid injections into the incisional closure is sometiems performs for proven keloid formers. However there are risks associated with this. If you are not a definite keloid former, steroids are not indicated and you can probably proactively treat your resulting scar prophylactically with silicone sheeting. I prefer to watch the scar as it develops and treat as indicated but the silicone... more