How Long Do You Continue Scar Treatment After Tummy Tuck?

This depends on what you mean by "scar treatment". After your sutures have been removed/dissolved and the steri-strips have fallen off, then you'll be able to begin using topical gels, creams or silicone sheeting to help reduce the appearance of scars. This is only if there are no complications at the incision site, such as infection, and there is no scabbing or crusting. One product I commonly recommend is Dermatix, but there are other products available - talk to your surgeon to find out what they recommend for you. You can use these products for as long as you'd like, until you reach your desired result. You may also seek nonsurgical aesthetic treatments performed in-clinic to help minimize the appearance of scars (laser or micro needling).

Please note that any cosmetic treatment can help to reduce the appearance of scars, but it often is unable to completely eliminate them. The goal of any scar reduction treatment is to replace a single, extremely visible mark for a less unsightly one.  Good luck!

Thank you for your question. There is no scientific consensus on the length of scar treatment. However, most PS recommend at least 6 months of scar therapy that includes massaging the scar along with application of an agent that reduces the pigmentation and improves the appearance of the scar. Ask your PS for his/her preference. Must avoid direct UV light exposure to the scar (direct exposure from tanning bed or sunlight) for one year to minimize dark pigmentation of the scar. Wish you the best.

Scars mature over a one year period. Theoretically continued scar management for up to a year can have continued benefit. In my experience, most folks don't want to have to continually fuss with their scars. Treatment for up to 6 months is probably best but there really are no real good scientific studies to support the length of treatment.

Thank you for your post. In tummy tuck and other lift/tightening surgeries, tension is the enemy. The scar is healing gradually over 12 weeks or so, and until it is strong, it is the weakest link. As there is a great deal of tension in tummy tucks, body lifts, breast lifts, etc., the scar is at high risk of 'stretching' or widening. Silicone sheeting, although having the ability to make a scar flat, does nothing to prevent stretching of the scar. Creams or steroids or lasers also do not have the ability to prevent stretching of the scar. Those are used if scar is thick or dark, but not to reduce the wideness of the scar, which is the main problem. Massage also does not help keep the scar thin, and can actually worsen the scar in the first 12 weeks because you are actually adding tension to the scar. Massage is for softening a hard or thick scar, but if used early, will hasten the scar widening. Only tension reduction has the ability to keep the scar as thin as possible. You may notice in a lot of tummy tuck scars that the center portion of the scar is the widest with the sides toward the hips being the thinnest. This is because the maximum tension is at the center, and least amount on the sides. Embrace removes a lot of the tension by putting more tension on the skin on either side of the incision and drawing the incision together. It is expensive though at about $100 per week for 12 weeks. When patients do not want to spend the money for embrace, I tape the incision trying to remove as much tension as possible for 12 weeks and recommend no stretching back and to sit most of the time, keeping tension off the scar.Best wishes,Pablo Prichard, MD

Hello,

I recommend scar treatment following tummy tuck for six months to one year. My preferred method of scar treatment is use of the silicone gel strips. I also recommend that my patients use an SPF 50 on the incision or avoid sun exposure all together for up to 1 year.

Hope this helps.

I recommend our scar treatment protocol for at least 6 months.    Depending on how much color or texture remains, I may recommend up to a year.     Scar treatment needs to be individualized to the patient for optimal results.

Most patients need no particular attention to scars, and don't need scar treatment. 

For those who do, duration is different from each. Awaiting a response from the treatment, and continuing as long as there is improvement can be general guidelines. 

Scars usually mature over the course of a year, so that would be an endpoint that many surgeons who urge all patients to treat there scars use.

All the best.