When would be the best time to put silicone strips on a tummy tuck scar?

While your body does a great job healing scars on its own, you can also help by keeping the scars out of the sun. Also, we usually recommend silicone sheeting and dermatix silicone gel. These two products have helped our patients improve the appearance of their scar nicely. The key is to use these products only after the steristrips have fallen off and the wound has closed, as well as apply them to clean skin. Best of luck!  

I have my patients begin scar care as soon as the steristrips are removed, usually 2-3 weeks. I recommend our scar cream massaged into the scar twice daily. Silicone tape or strips is used for 12-18 hours per day, not 24. I recommend continueing the regimen for 6 to 12 months. Good Luck!

Once the incisions are well healed I have my patients start using silicone strips which I find responds well for scar management.

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

Thanks for your question. The silicone strips can be applied
when all wounds have completely healed. You do not want to apply these to an
open wound. I usually have my patients start with silicone application after
the steri-strips are removed, usually after 2 weeks. Other silicone
preparations may be used as well. Good luck!

Dear Sunshinemomma,There is not right or wrong answer as to exact timing. If you have any open areas you usually want to delay application or avoid application in those areas. About 2 weeks out most people will find it a reasonable timeframe start placing the silicone strips.All the best,Dr. Remus Repta