Treatment to Help Minimize Tummy Tuck Scar?

Your scar can be lowered so it is hidden beneath your panty- line and also at the junction of your pubic hair bearing area. Regarding the potential for a red raised scar please note the following advice that I recommend to my patient in these circumstances:Best Scar Management is important to minimize or completely hide from view, the tell tale signs of surgery – namely, scars. Both you and your surgeon want you to have the most minimal scarring possible from your surgery. Patients with scars that are enlarged or not healing well after surgery can be from many causes. Unsightly scars are most commonly due to genetics, underlying medical conditions or improper scar/wound care. The last part is very important and patients can make a noticeable difference in their scars’ appearance by following best scar management practices. Here are some simple tips.Scar Management tips:1- Minimize tension on the scar – Steri Strips and/or surgical tape are often placed in non-hair bearing areas to minimize tension and keep pressure over the scar. This minimizes the stress that can pull the scar apart (dehiscence) creating a wound and delaying healing time, and can make the scar wider, or more “ropy”.2– Keep your incision site/scar clean to prevent infection. Follow your surgeon’s wound care instructions to the letter with out modification. NEVER apply different products then recommended without first discussing them with your surgeon. This is especially important during the first few weeks. If there are any signs of infection contact your surgeon’s office immediately and/or see your doctor or his nurse immediately. Typical signs of infection may include redness outside the immediate incision site, asymmetric swelling, and drainage, of pus, fever, chills, and “feeling sick”.3. –Protect your scars from the sun - staying out of the sun is the best advice. Minimal exposure to sunlight is prevents hyperpigmentation (permanently turning brown) and other problems that can make the scar more noticeable. Sunscreen, at least 30 SPF and an overlying make camouflage make up additionally protects the scar from the suns harmful rays. This advice is especially important the first year following your surgery.4. – Use specific scar maturation products recommended by your surgeon. Patients seem to have their own opinions on this touting everything from Pure Vit E, Coco butter, to Aloe Vera, etc but most have minimal benefit other than keeping the scar hydrated. Although hydration is important there are better, scientifically studied products with greater efficacy. Most of the scientific articles written about this subject indicate that topical silicone gel or silicone sheets work the best. There are a lot of products to choose from, but silicone should be one of the key ingredients. Although Mederma, an onion extract derivative active ingredient rather than mainly silicone based may help, primarily silicone based products are better and many also contain other ingredients that may be synergistic (hydrocortisone or other steroid, Vitamin E, Sunscreen,etc). At the present time I prefer BioCorneum or Kelo-Cote products and if the reader has problems obtaining these they can call my office. Patient compliance is also critical – use often and according to directions or it will not work optimally. NEVER apply products without first discussing them with your surgeon.5. – Monitor to make sure your scar is progressing optimally. Keep your scheduled follow-up appointments with your surgeon to verify that your scars are maturing as expected. Occasionally if indicated you may need a topical steroid preparation or even a series of injections (5-FU and/or Steroids) or laser treatments to treat or prevent scar hypertrophy or keloid formation (red raised scars), or other topical medicines to treat post inflammatory hyperpigmentation (brown scars) with prescription creams and possible laser treatments.#tummytuck#TT#scarmanagement

Typically we apply nothing to the tummy tuck scars for 1 month to allow them to heal.  After that there are new scar gels which contain growth factors which can really help the appearance of the wounds.

Dear Erppie,

Thank you for reaching out with your concerns about minimizing tummy tuck scars. It's natural to be apprehensive about scarring, but there are several treatment options available to help minimize the appearance of scars after a tummy tuck procedure.

Scar Care Products: Using scar care products, such as silicone-based gels or sheets, can help flatten and soften scars over time. These products are often recommended by plastic surgeons to be applied once the incisions have fully healed.

Laser Treatments: Laser therapy can be an effective option for reducing the appearance of scars after tummy tuck surgery. Laser treatments work by targeting the scar tissue and stimulating collagen production, which can help improve the texture and color of the scar. Laser treatments can be performed after the initial healing period, typically several weeks to months after surgery.

Microneedling: Microneedling involves using a device with fine needles to create micro-injuries in the skin, promoting collagen production and improving the appearance of scars. Like laser treatments, microneedling can be performed after the initial healing phase.

Steroid Injections: In some cases, steroid injections may be recommended by your plastic surgeon to help reduce inflammation and flatten raised scars.

Surgical Scar Revision: In cases where scars are particularly noticeable or problematic, surgical scar revision may be considered. This involves removing the old scar tissue and repositioning the incision to create a more favorable outcome.

When considering laser treatments or other scar-reducing procedures, it's essential to consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon who can assess your specific concerns and recommend the most appropriate treatment plan for your individual needs. Your surgeon will advise you on the optimal timing for these treatments based on your healing progress and overall surgical outcome.

Ultimately, with proper scar care and the use of advanced treatment modalities, you can take proactive steps to minimize the appearance of tummy tuck scars and achieve smoother, more aesthetically pleasing results.

Best wishes for your tummy tuck journey and your quest for minimal scarring.

Sincerely,

Dr. Katzen
Plastic Surgeon

Abdominoplasty scars can be quite complex, ranging from the simple hypertrophic scar to a multiplane inflamed keloid. Pigmentation, discoloration, chronic inflammation, scar visibility can all occur in the short term. We begin each treatment with combination therapy using Yellow broadband BBL, Vbeam, fractional erbium, intralesional IIT, and scar modulation. Start with a combination of Plato's Scar Serum massaged twice daily after one week of epithelialization followed by Luminase/Exfolase. Scar consultation and revision may be recommended.

Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

Thank you for your question.  A properly placed tummy tuck incision will result in a scar that is quite low, and will hide beneath most underwear or bikini bottoms.  Methods of reducing prominence of the scar include meticulous closure by the surgeon at the time of operation, scar massage, topical treatment with a silicone gel or scar sheets, and protection from the sun.  In some instances, where the scar is darkly pigmented or remains prominent beyond 6 months post-op, resurfacing with a laser such as Fraxel can improve the appearance.  

                  It’s
not unusual for patients to worry about the scars that are associated with
abdominoplasty.  These scars extend
across the lower abdomen and in some cases can be raised and red.  In most cases they continue to improve
for 12-18 months following surgery. 
Unfortunately, in some cases these scars may be wide and raised after
healing is complete. 

                  When
this situation arises, the most likely cause is the patients biologic wound
healing characteristics.  This
varies from patient to patient and can tremendously impact how wounds heal. 

                  In
an effort to avoid this type of scarring plastic surgeons utilize meticulous
surgical technique when performing abdominoplasty.  In addition, surgeons utilize massage, topical agents,
silastic sheeting and lasers to modulate this type of scarring.

Hello! Thank you for the question! It is common for scars to fully mature for up to a year. In the meantime, there are a few things that may help to ameliorate your incision/scar. The most proven (as well as cheapest) modality is simple scar massage. Applying pressure and massaging the well-healed scar has been shown to improve the appearance as it breaks up the scar tissue, hopefully producing the finest scar as possible. Other things that have been shown to add some benefit, albeit controversial, are silicone sheets, hydration, and topical steroids. In addition, avoidance of direct sunlight to the incision will significantly help the appearance as they tend to discolor with UV light during the healing process. If unsightly scars are still present after approximately a year's time, other things that your surgeon may consider are intralesional steroid injections, laser, or just surgical revision of the scar itself.  Follow your surgeon's instructions for postoperative care of your incisions as well as when to begin scar therapy.Hope that this helps!  Best wishes!

However it is very important that the scar from a tummy tuck be placed low so that it may be hidden by ones bikini or underwear.  Some people are prone to thick and noticeable scars so important to look at some old scars. 

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!

 

Laser treatments can help, but should only be performed after your surgeon gives you the green light. This is normally after you've recovered.

Having said all the above, however, the best thing you can do is follow your surgeon's instructions.

There are two issues with a tummy tuck scar: color and texture. If you are light skinned, then the scar left after a tummy tuck is normally reddish in color. While this color does fade over time, using pulsed dye lasers can significantly speed the process. In addition, because the pulsed dye laser helps to reduce blood flow to the scar by closing small blood vessels, it can help to debulk (shrink) the scar more quickly than it would on it's own. Finally, steroid injections can also help to shrink a tummy tuck scar.
With a good surgeon and/or the solutions noted here, you should be able to minimize the visibility of your tummy tuck scar.