How Long Post-Tummy Tuck Can I Start Using Vit E on my Skin?

Don't bother with the Vitamin E.  It doesn't help the scar significantly....this has been proven by research.  Instead, use a silicone-based scar product, like ProSil or ScarGuard - these actually have some demonstrable benefit.

As long as you are leaving your abdominal binder in place as your surgeon has prescribed (It should be on nearly full-time, only off for dressing changes, drain stripping and cleansing, and adjustment to avoid wrinkles and bulges), using lotion for dry skin--not on incisions--is perfectly fine. Vitamin E as skin lotion is probably of less value than Lubriderm, Nutraderm, Eucerin, Vaseline Intensive Care, etc., but as long as you keep your incisions clean and dry, the skin lubricant you chooses is relatively immaterial. You should generally avoid lotions heavy in perfume or alcohol content, as these can actually irritate and make your itching worse.

Part of your itching may be due to skin sensory nerves healing and regenerating, so lotions won't really help this aspect.

As for Vitamin E and scars, I agree with my colleagues that there are no credible studies that show a clear-cut statistical advantage in Vitamin E  scar treatment. However, scar massage and scar pads have been shown to offer some improvements in scar quality and maturation, so I say why NOT use Vitamin E as the massage oil? However, Vitamin E, cocoa butter, or other massage lotions are less important than the actual scar massage!

Also, some surgeons who use drains with tummy tuck patients prefer that the patient not shower while the drains are in place to help reduce the potential for introducing bacteria via the drain site in the skin, so check with your surgeon about bathing (showering) recommendations. Best wishes for a speedy recovery and a great result!

If you have used Vit E in the past for dry skin without problems, I dont see any reason that you cannot apply it to the skin that is above the incision, however it is too soon to apply it to the incision itself.  Check with your surgeon just to be sure.

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

Actually vitamin E is unproven to help heal and improve scars. Patients bring up vitamin E frequently, and there is no science to support its effectiveness. Dry or irritated skin is common and you may be able to shower and wash off any remaining surgical soap, and apply hypoallergenic lotion to the dry areas, and cover the skin with a cotton T-shirt under the binder.
Best of luck,
peterejohnsonmd

Dear Rory,

Vitamin E has not been proven to improve the appearance of scars in any well designed clinical trial.  Moreover, it has been shown to cause an allergic reaction in a small percentage of patients.  Simply, it probably doesn't help and may just hurt.  I recommend paper tape or silicone sheeting for three months to my patients.  Best wishes on your results.