Scar Treatment Ointment Used Post-Mohs Surgery?

The best treatment for reducing the appearance of scars following mohs surgery is patience.  It can take 6 months to a year for a scar to become less noticeable. There are many scar treatment creams on the market. They have inconsistent results. Massaging the scar is helpful as well.

Every doctor probably has a different recommendation for this, and there are plenty of options available for use (e.g. Vitamin E, Mederma, etc). Generally, I take out sutures at one week and place steristrips over the incision. This gives a little bit of structural support and coverage for the period immediately after suture removal. About a week later when the tape comes off I give patients the option of using a product called Biocorneum, manufactured by a company called ABT, that is a combination of silicone gel and sunscreen.

Reducing scar prominence after reconstructing an eyelid after MOHS requires several tactics: reduction of sun exposure, application of a petroleum jelly substance that can be massaged on the scar, and time. I have recommended vitamin E ointment and TNS serum for reducing scar lines and have had favorable results from patients using these products.  Following these straight forward may improve the visibility of scars.

Scar treatment ointment can be as simple as petroleum jelly. Studies have shown that cosmetic scar creams and vaseline had the same cosmetic outcome when used half on each side of a long straight scar.  That said, vasline cost 2$ while other scar treatment ointments cost 10-40$. Also be reminded that the antibiotic ointments also did not show an advantage over petroleum jelly when it came to infections in a large study. So my advice to my patients is to save your money and apply a petroleum based jelly immediately after surgery and daily until the sutures are removed then 1-3 days after so that final healing can occur.  Always keep the area covered so the air does not get to it untile the sutures are removed and it is fully healed.  This will optomize your outcome.  The old wives tail of scabbing is healing or let the air get to it just doesnt stand up to the science of wound healing in a clean moist covered environment. That being said , follow YOUR surgeons recommendations.

Depending on where on the body the surgical site is located, I often recommend Aquaphor to be applied to the scar for several weeks, and to start two weeks after surgery provided that I have inspected the wound and that it is healing well. I also like TNS Ceramide Cream especially for oily areas as I find less white head development.

1. Tincture of time 6 months to 1 year

2. Massage sometimes softens scars

3. Scarguard has been shown to be helpful

4.  Occasionally scars can be injected with steroid to reduce their appearance