1 week post breast lift. Can I use coconut oil to keep my areola scars and underneath my breasts horizontal scar hydrated?

Hello,You have incisions with little scar tissue in them and are mechanically weak and prone to spreading and reacting negatively: hypertrophy.  That is why it is so important to mechanically support your incisions with tape, not gels or oils that do nothing. Go to Amazon and get some a porous elastic tape like Hypafix and use for the first 2 to 3 months. Alternatively, silicone tape can be used for the last month or two as well. Best of luck!

Plastic surgery scars require attention after surgery so that they remain cosmetically-appealing and barely noticeable. In our office, we use a protocol for scars that minimizes their activity in the 6-8 weeks after surgery. If you have late plastic surgery scars, you may also require laser and RF therapy to help reduce the longterm effects of the scarring. Keloids, hypertrophic scars, widened scars, red scars, and hyperpigmented scars all require scar modulation with topical creams followed by lasers and RF therapy. Topical skincare should be directed to a specific need, whether for pigmentation or hypertrophy and our office can guide you through the process to obtain the correct Plato’s Scar cream or Melarase cream for hypertrophy and discoloration. In terms of lasers, we would employ the vbeam laser for redness, Venus Viva RF, PRP microneedling, chemical peels, and Morpheus 8, fractional erbium, or fractional co2. All of these have their individual benefits. Most of all, we recommend you visit a solid plastic surgeon who understands surgical scar revision, laser therapy, and RF therapy for scars.

Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

I typically recommend Biocorneum, which is a silicone based scar cream to my patients to treat their scars. I would recommend discussing this with your surgeon as they may have a specific post operative protocol they prefer. I would not put anything on your incisions that you have not approved with your surgeon specifically. Thank you for your question.

Dear caitlinash,every plastic surgeon has his own postoperative protocol which he recommends to his patients. I would suggest you to discuss this with your plastic surgeon.Daniel Barrett, MD
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Plastic Surgery
Member, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery

All Plastic Surgeons have their own protocol regarding incisions immediately post. My general rule is do as little as possible. So the answer to your question is no, do not do that without approval from your surgeon. It is amazing how many problems are created by well-meaning application of what sounds like a good idea. Keeping it simple avoids much of this. I once had a patient who heard that vitamin E oil was great for incisions. She came in with the worst case of inflammation similar to Poison Oak I had ever seen, Turns out she forgot she was allergic to fish (the source of vitamin E oil). Also, unless it is specifically used in medical treatments, the manufacture of some of these things may be in question. I would keep it simple and keep your surgeon well informed.