What is the best cream/ointment to massage tummy tuck scar with?

I typically recommend some form of silicone for 3 months postoperatively for scar management - silicone gel sheeting is best for patients who can tolerate it. In those who cannot, I prescribe a liquid silicone formulation in a pump, for instance scar gel from QMedRx.

Hello! Thank you for the question! It is common for scars to fully mature for up to a year. In the meantime, there are a few things that may help to ameliorate your incision/scar. The most proven (as well as cheapest) modality is simple scar massage. Applying pressure and massaging the well-healed scar has been shown to improve the appearance as it breaks up the scar tissue, hopefully producing the finest scar as possible.  I usually recommend non-fragrance lotion or Vitamin E oil. Other things that have been shown to add some benefit, albeit controversial, are silicone sheets, hydration, and topical steroids. These can usually be started at approximately 3-4 weeks postop and when incisions healed. In addition, avoidance of direct sunlight to the incision will significantly help the appearance as they tend to discolor with UV light during the healing process. Scars will never disappear, but attempt is made to make the finest scar in a concealed location. Incisions may be revised to lower or conceal better if enough laxity exists. If unsightly scars are still present after approximately a year's time, other things that your surgeon may consider are intralesional steroid injections, laser, or just surgical revision of the scar itself. Hope that this helps! Best wishes!

Each surgeon will have their own preferences as
what to use to aid scarring following surgery.  Here at my clinic I recommend mepiform which is a silicone based sheeting
product for my patients.  Be sure to follow
your surgeon’s advice in this regard.  He
or she will know from experience what has worked best for previous patients.

Each surgeon will have their own recommendation on which cream is best to use. As always, any recommendation will depend on the patient's situation and skin. Discuss with your doctor which cream is right for you and your skin. I often recommend Dermatix and silicone sheeting. 

I feel the best treatment for tummy tuck scars is the use of silicone sheets for three to four months post procedure. Topical treatments are not generally as effective.

There is no best appointment to place on incisions. All the commercials scar removers are not predictable. I recommend silicone bandages to help improve scar quality.

Thank you for your post. In tummy tuck and other lift/tightening surgeries, tension is the enemy. The scar is healing gradually over 12 weeks or so, and until it is strong, it is the weakest link. As there is a great deal of tension in tummy tucks, body lifts, breast lifts, etc., the scar is at high risk of 'stretching' or widening. Silicone sheeting, although having the ability to make a scar flat, does nothing to prevent stretching of the scar. Creams or steroids or lasers also do not have the ability to prevent stretching of the scar. Those are used if scar is thick or dark, but not to reduce the wideness of the scar, which is the main problem. Massage also does not help keep the scar thin, and can actually worsen the scar in the first 12 weeks because you are actually adding tension to the scar. Massage is for softening a hard or thick scar, but if used early, will hasten the scar widening. Only tension reduction has the ability to keep the scar as thin as possible. You may notice in a lot of tummy tuck scars that the center portion of the scar is the widest with the sides toward the hips being the thinnest. This is because the maximum tension is at the center, and least amount on the sides. Embrace removes a lot of the tension by putting more tension on the skin on either side of the incision and drawing the incision together. It is expensive though at about $100 per week for 12 weeks. When patients do not want to spend the money for embrace, I tape the incision trying to remove as much tension as possible for 12 weeks and recommend no stretching back and to sit most of the time, keeping tension off the scar.Best wishes,Pablo Prichard, MD

How a particular patient scars is unpredictable and is
related to many factors including genetics. Scars generally improve with time.
Leaving on steristrips for 3 or more weeks and massaging the tissue after that
on an ongoing basis help in most patients. Avoiding exposing the scars to sun
will diminish the risk of darker pigmentation.



There are a multitude of products that claim to help scars,
but there is little valid scientific evidence that they accomplish what is
claimed. An extensive review of the medical literature showed that:


Silicone
gel and silicone sheeting are currently the most beneficial.
Silicone
sheeting is more effective than silicone gel.
Vitamin
E and Mederma are not effective.




Discuss your concerns and the options with your own plastic surgeon and follow his or her advice.Robert Singer, MD  FACSLa Jolla, California

Post-operative scar management should be done at the advice of your surgeon.  Many surgeons find silicone sheeting helpful, but ask your surgeon what she/he recommends and when to start using it.

Thanks for your question,There are a number of factors that go into achieving the best possible scar from your surgery - the type of cream or ointment you massage into it is not one of them!!!! There is no good scientific evidence to support any particular cream or ointment.Far more important issues relate to the surgical technique, avoiding tension on the wound, how the skin is brought together, avoiding infection, your general health and nutrition, and your personal scar tendencies.Finally there is an element of unpredictability with each and every wound.That said, most plastic surgeons will use tape on a scar either regular paper tape or silicone tape for up to six weeks. We do think it helps but the science behind it is based on silicone taping helping bad scars get better rather than avoiding bad scars altogether.After taping, some patients do like to massage creams into their wounds, and it may help desensitise the scar and the massage may help reduce the lumpiness. I suggest use something that is comfortable for you, that you like the smell of and that is not too expensive.The good news is that the vast majority of tummy tuck scars are EXCELLENT.Best wishesRichard