Is it too late for scar treatments? (Photos)

Hi there and thanks for your question! Unfortunately topical treatments are ineffective this long after your surgery. However, steroid injections into deep scar tissue can be used to break up some of the thick scars, as well as bleaching cream to decrease some of the hyperpigmentation. I recommend seeing your plastic surgeon for more information. Hope this helps! 

Generally speaking, 14 months is too late to change the overall appearance of the scar with topical treatments. Skin lightening cream to reduce the pigmentation might be the exception. Address this issue with your surgeon.Good luck. Dr. ALDO 

Thank you for sharing your question and photograph.  If you have not seen much of a change over the last several months conservative treatments are unlikely to help your scar’s appearance and it would be better to consider a revision procedure and early treatment with silicone scar creams, sheets, and steroid injections. 

At 14 months post-op, it is far too late for topical treatments to be effective. You can return to your surgeon and discuss options for improving the appearance of your scars, though. Surgical excision with aggressive postoperative treatments may be an option.Steven Turkeltaub, MD

Thanks for your question. This is a tough one. I would not have a lot of expectation at this point that scar treatments (gels, tapes, lasers, massage, etc.) would help much. It might be worth considering cutting out the old scar and repairing it again. It's a bit unpredictable, but the difference this time is that your skin would not have near the tension that it had on it when the TT was performed. So, the scar may be less prone to stretching. Best wishes