When Can I Stop Worrying About my Tummy Tuck Scar Stretching and Widening?

It may take several months for a #tummytuck patient’s scars to soften, for sensation to return, and for relaxing of the tight sensation in the abdomen. In the case of extensive surgery, abdominoplasty recovery can be uncomfortable and may take longer. Scars may stay red, become thick or widen . It can take 12-18 months for the scars to settle.These can be improved with topical treatments such as BioCorneum, Scar Guard , Scar Fade and Mederma. Redness can be improved with laser treatments and the scars can be kept narrow with products such as Embrace. On occasion, keloids or hypertrophic scars can develop and will need treatment including Kenalog, 5FU and laser.

It’s not
unusual for patients who’ve had adverse scarring in the past to worry about
unattractive incisions following revisional surgery.These unattractive scars occur for a variety
of reasons.In some cases they’re
related to the patients biologic healing capacity, while in some other cases it’s
related to mechanical factors such as high tension wound closure.Several steps can be taken to minimize the
spread of scars following this type of procedure.Anything that decreases the tension on the
wound closure can help minimize scar spread.For this reason, we utilize steristrips, silastic sheeting and mircopore
tape for 6-8 weeks following surgery.At
two months the wound has healed and regained most of its tensile strength.At three weeks it’s probably
reasonable to straighten your back and walk in an upright position.It’s important to realize that each patients
wound healing characteristics are unique and for this reason port-operative
care needs to be individualized.In most
cases wounds have regained most of their strength in 6-8 weeks, but it’s also
important to realize that the wound healing process continues for a year.

The results of your revision may be influenced by the amount of tension on the scar and your genetics. Keep a close eye on your scars to prevent recurrence. Raffy Karamanoukian, Los Angeles