When do I start scar therapy post explant/lift?

There is no one best therapy for scars. Silicone sheets, Mederma, and Biocorneum are reasonable and popular options. I recommend that the scar therapy begin after the scars have healed and there are no open areas, which usually takes 4 to 6 weeks.Kenneth Hughes, MD, Board Certified Plastic SurgeonLos Angeles, CA

hello emily2217 Scars will progressively fade throughout the first year following surgery. The instructions given to yo by your PS is the best for you. #lift #scar

I start silicone scar therapy once the incisions are healed, which is typically about two weeks after the procedure. I recommend silicone with SPF. Some surgeons are very happy with taping incisions use it for several months after the procedure.

Thank you for sharing your excellent question and congratulations on your breast explant and lift.  In general if i glue a patient's incisions at the time of surgery I start BioCorneum scar cream at the time that the glue falls off, typically at 2 weeks.  I recommend they continue treatment for at least 3 months. Hope this helps.

Thank you for asking. Different PS's and practices may have (somewhat) different strategies for scar therapy. The most important guide is your own PS's who has done your procedure and knows your specific case best. Be in touch with his/her office and go from there. Best wishes!

Dear emilys2217,scarring can be minimized with a number of techniques including meticulous closure, nonuse of absorbable sutures, 6 weeks of taping followed by silicone scar therapy. I often recommend a product called biocorneum to prevent hypertrophic scars. But 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, MHA, MS 
Certified, American Board of Plastic Surgery  
Member, Am. Society of Plastic Surgery

You can begin therapy when your incisions are completely closed and healed, usually within a few weeks.  Some options to try are silicone sheets and various scar creams.  Be aware that these treatments work gradually over time, so immediate results are not likely.

Thank you for posting your question.  I recommend patients leave surgical glue or steri-strips on until the strips or glue naturally fall off.  Once the strips/glue are gone and the incision is well healed then patients can start scar treatment. I suggest patients use BioCorneum scar cream or silicone sheets.  Check with your plastic surgeon for more recommendations. Best wishes. 

Congratulations on your procedure, and thanks for your question.  As you know, we all have different protocols.  Most plastic surgeons place either steri strips or surgical glue on the incision.  Those usually should be left in place until they slough on their own.  That should be a few weeks, and then if your incision is closed, it is safe to start with topical scar treatments.  Silicone gel strips or creams are quite popular, and you will see many references on this site to Silagen, Biocorneum, and Embrace.  The latter also helps keep the skin edges approximated.  Persistence is essential as most studies suggest that you really need to be compliant for at least 6 months to make an appreciable difference.There are other things that may help your scars.  I routinely have patients tape their incisions during the day for 6-8 weeks.  I don't want the weight of the breast pulling on an incision held together by just some dissolvable sutures and a few weeks of collagen growth.  For the same reason, I have patients wear a bra nearly around the clock until the incision has more strength.  In addition, there is evidence that compression and massage help with scar maturation.  I also suggest to my patients that they cover their incisions with sunscreen when they are in a bathing suit, as some UVB makes it through our clothing, and incisions tan differently than the surrounding skin.  Hope this is helpful, and hope your recovery progresses easily and quickly!

Hi emily2217,I have my patients start scar treatment at 2 weeks postop. My recommended product is BioCorneum. Hope that helps!Dr. Robert Pollack