What is the Best Way to Remove a Scar from Brachioplasty Surgery?

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. Other things that have been shown to add some benefit, albeit controversial, are silicone sheets, hydration, and topical steroids. 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. 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. Lasers may also be an option for the appearance of your scar.  If still no results, consideration for lasers, steroids, or scar revision may be entertained.

Dear Fletcher777,

When it comes to post-brachioplasty scars, it's important to set realistic expectations. While scars cannot ever be completely removed, there are several treatments and strategies available to significantly minimize their appearance and improve their texture.

Scar Maturation: Initially, allow the scar to go through its natural maturation process. Over the course of several months to a year, many scars will fade and become less noticeable.

Silicone Gel or Sheets: These have been shown to help in the reduction of scar height and discoloration. They provide a moist environment that can help flatten and soften the scar.

Topical Treatments: There are various creams and ointments that contain ingredients like vitamin E, onion extract, or other formulations that might assist in improving scar appearance.

Laser Therapy: Specific laser treatments can reduce redness, improve texture, and promote overall scar improvement.

Steroid Injections: For hypertrophic or keloid scars, which are raised and can sometimes be itchy or painful, steroid injections can help flatten and soften the scar.

Microneedling: This procedure can stimulate collagen production and help blend the scar more with surrounding skin.

Scar Tattooing: As you pointed out, there's also scar tattooing or medical tattooing, which can be used to camouflage a scar, making it blend better with the surrounding skin. This technique can be especially helpful if a scar remains discolored even after it has matured.

Surgical Revision: In cases where the scar is particularly wide, raised, or irregular, a surgical revision might be considered to improve its appearance.

Remember, it's crucial to protect the scar from the sun, as sun exposure can cause the scar to darken or discolor, making it more noticeable. Also, always consult with a board-certified plastic surgeon or dermatologist to discuss the most appropriate treatments for your specific scar and skin type.

In conclusion, while complete removal of a scar is not possible, a combination of time, appropriate treatments, and sometimes even artistry (like scar tattooing) can significantly improve and minimize its appearance.

Sincerely,
Dr. Katzen

Plastic surgery scars require attention after surgery so that they remain cosmetically-appealing and barely noticeable. In our office, we use a protocol for scars that minimizes their activity in the 6-8 weeks after surgery. If you have late plastic surgery scars, you may also require laser and RF therapy to help reduce the longterm effects of the scarring. Keloids, hypertrophic scars, widened scars, red scars, and hyperpigmented scars all require scar modulation with topical creams followed by lasers and RF therapy. Topical skincare should be directed to a specific need, whether for pigmentation or hypertrophy and our office can guide you through the process to obtain the correct Plato’s Scar cream or Melarase cream for hypertrophy and discoloration. In terms of lasers, we would employ the vbeam laser for redness, Venus Viva RF, PRP microneedling, chemical peels, and Morpheus 8, fractional erbium, or fractional co2. All of these have their individual benefits. Most of all, we recommend you visit a solid plastic surgeon who understands surgical scar revision, laser therapy, and RF therapy for scars.

Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon