Tummy Tuck Scar revision: kenalog, micro-needling, laser? What is the best recommendation? (photo)

Question

It's been almost 3 years since my tummy tuck. I used the silicone sheets per my PS but didn't do the trick. I was then referred to a dermatologist who said it was a hypertrophic scar. There's also scars where the drains were left for 2 weeks. She first tried cortisone shots: painful and didn't see any improvement. Then micro-needling. It's been 2 months since my first session and I have not seen an improvement either. Keep trying? Other recommendations?

Nathan Eberle, MD, DDS, FACS · Answer

It appears you have hypertrophic scarring. If that is the case, excision of the entire length of the scar and "starting over" would likely lead you to the best result. The scar is 3 years old(mature), all of the other less invasive treatments are likely to not help much at this point. I would recommend going back to visit your plastic surgeon for a scar revision consultation.

David Dellinger, DO, FACOS · Answer

Sorry to hear about your TT scar difficulties. Just based on your photographs you appear to have more of a keloid or mixed keloid-hypertrophic scar. So far you've tried all the usual, minimally invasive procedures - silicone sheeting, Kenalog shots, micro-needling, etc. Other options would be pulsed-dye lasers, fractional resurfacing lasers both which can achieve good results with fractional being better in my opinion. When conservative approaches fail to improve the scar, sometimes the best option is scar revision - cutting out the entire old scar and starting completely from "scratch", however you would have to be the judge in determining if you want to go that route.

Tummy Tuck Scar revision: kenalog, micro-needling, laser? What is the best recommendation? (photo)

Answers (2)