Steroid injections for tummy tuck scar caused burst blood vessels & atrophy, what can I do? (Photos)

It’s understandable to be concerned about the changes you’re noticing in your scar after steroid injections. Steroid injections, while effective in flattening hypertrophic scars, can sometimes lead to side effects such as thinning of the skin (atrophy), indentations, or visible blood vessels.
These side effects generally improve gradually as the steroid effect diminishes, although in some cases they can persist. To address your current concerns, options typically include: • Observation: Allowing several months to see if the tissue naturally recovers and the dent becomes less noticeable. • Laser Treatments: Vascular lasers or fractional laser resurfacing can reduce redness, burst vessels, and help smooth scar texture. • Fat Grafting or Fillers: Used carefully to correct indentations or skin depressions caused by tissue thinning. • Microneedling or PRP (Platelet-rich plasma): Can encourage collagen production and improve scar texture.
Given your situation, consulting with your surgeon or obtaining a second opinion from a specialist experienced in scar management would be advisable to evaluate and choose the most suitable treatment option.
I hope this information helps clarify your situation. Consulting with your surgeon or a scar management specialist would be beneficial in addressing these concerns.
— Güray Yeşiladalı, MD

Hello, side effects of steroid injections could be talangeactasia which are little spider veins that develop on the surface of the scar, lightening of the skin, as well as loss of fat. In addition, as the steroid weakens the thick scar it may have a tendency to spread. Since you're not even a year out and you've had some unsatisfactory results from treatment the first thing should be to do nothing else! You can try some over-the-counter silicone tapes a there are minimal risk. In some patients it can help flatten the scar. After about a year or so from the surgery if you're still dissatisfied with the scar you can consider excision of the scar. The difference being that during that procedure the tension will be much less than from the tummy tuck and your body is likely to respond differently. As well, you have the experience of knowing scar therapies after any further surgery should be started sooner than later. Good luck.

Hypertrophic scars can diminish the result of a successful tummy tuck. Steroid injections are the cornerstone of improving hypertrophic scare but they can have side effects such as fat atrophy and pronounced capillaries (blood vessels). The blood vessels responds well to laser treatment that your plastic surgeon or local dermatologist may already have. The fat atrophy however may require correction. Micro fat transfer can help to restore a small amount of lost fat volume and is my preferred treatment. Scar revision is the last option because if you form hypertrophic scars you are likely to form another one which leads to a vicious circle of scar revisions and kenalog treatments.