Seeking healing tips for the stitches on my nose: should I use silicone gel? (Photos)

Seeking advice on post-op procedure and speeding up the healing process/ minimizing scars. It was stitched twice, 2 weeks apart, as skin did not uniting the first time. Should I start the silicon gel now or should I continue to use the steri-strips to unite the skin and hope that it connects faster? What would make the skin connect faster, the hole close and the scar to be minimal? Can I exercise? Can I do facials or mud face masks?