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When Should You Start to Use Mederma After Tummy Tuck Surgery?
i am 2 weeks post tummy tuck and was told to use mederma cream by a friend. how many days after the surgery should i use the cream?
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8 Doctor Answers |
Asked by
sarahg09
in san francisco, ca
+2
Myderma Cream
2 weeks after surgery is a good time to start the creams as long as it is okay with your surgeon. I have my patients use Myderma or ScarGuard. Either cream is good for the scar. Also, daily application of tape over the incision can be good as it provides a slight bit of pressure on the incision and helps keep it flat. I hope this is helpful. Good luck.
+1
When to start scar creams after surgery
Hi there-
I am not a fan on Mederma, and prefer that my patients not use it...
There are other creams and gels (mostly silicone based) that I do think work well, with fewer risks.
As for timing, I prefer my patients not use these until the early phase of maturation has begun- which will vary with the type of surgery you had, the part of the body, and your individual healing characteristics.
Ask your surgeon what he/she prefers for you.
+1
Scar Creams
You always want to wait until the incisions are completely sealed and healing. This is usually 1-2 weeks. After that, it should be safe as long as your surgeon has given you the ok. However, there is no real data to support the use of any of the scar creams, treatments, etc. that are advertised and sold. They usually do not hurt anything, but whether they actually help and scar formation is very subjective.
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Mederma is not worth it in my opinion
I am not a fan nor an advocate of Mederma. I am not aware of any validated study which truly supports its use other than an obscure study from the E-council in Germany which suggested some improvement in scars from Allium Cepa the active incgredient in Mederma. Many adverse reactions have been reported from the inactive ingredients.
+1
Using mederma after surgery
My rule of thumb is to wait UNTIL the incision is fully healed, from 2 to 4 weeks. This is because healing is an individual process, most take 2 weeks for full closure of the incision while others can take longer.
From MIAMI Dr. B
+1
Scar Reduction
I do not suggest to my patients that they use Mederma. I am unaware of any scientific evidence of improvement of scars with the product that is not related to massaging the product into the scar. I usually recommend a product containing silicone and have my patients begin its use about 2-3 weeks post-op.
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Mederma cream
Mederma cream for scars may be used on scars. It should not be used on open wounds, draining wounds, inflamed wounds or infected wounds. It should be massaged in daily into the wound and it's effectiveness is not consistent. It is not clear if it works in controled studies or if just the act of massaging the wound helps minimize scars.
+1
Other products are better than Mederma for scarring
While Mederma will not make scarring worse, it also has not been proven to help scarring any more than plain Vaseline ointment in scientific studies. I usually recommend that my patients use silicone gel or sheeting rather than Mederma (the active ingredient is onion extract).
Silicone gel or sheeting is the only product that has been proven to reduce the appearance of scarring. We don't know how it works, but it has proven itself in multiple studies. The best time to begin using it is...
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Baton Rouge Dermatologist
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