Discussion
Hi,
My wife is in hospital to removing a cyst. She'll have a scar after surgery along her stomach.
She's asked me to have a look online for any advice on how to help with getting rid, or making it less evident.
Can anyone give advice one what she can possible do after she gets home?
The most known method is using bio-oil, but is there any other method?
My wife is in hospital to removing a cyst. She'll have a scar after surgery along her stomach.
She's asked me to have a look online for any advice on how to help with getting rid, or making it less evident.
Can anyone give advice one what she can possible do after she gets home?
The most known method is using bio-oil, but is there any other method?
Time. Learn to love it rather than hide it.....probably not the answer you were looking for ;-)
I'm sure there are plenty of "old wife's tales" for improving scarring......how many are really proven is another question. As it's on her belly, it's not that conspicuous anyway.
Hope she can learn not to be too self conscious about it...good luck
I'm sure there are plenty of "old wife's tales" for improving scarring......how many are really proven is another question. As it's on her belly, it's not that conspicuous anyway.
Hope she can learn not to be too self conscious about it...good luck
A scar takes approximately 2 years to fully mature.
So time does help, however there are steps that can help improve scarring.
1) meticulous suturing technique (not clips!!)
2) taping the scar after the sutures have been removed (if they need removing) for 6-8 weeks)
By taping I would suggest using micro pore tape (3M), apply it weekly and keep it on
in the shower/bath changing it once per week.
3) massage of the scar, doesn't matter what with - bio-oil, E45
this helps soften any scarring.
There are other silicon based ointments/gels, the evidence associated with them isn't that strong
and they cost £50 per tube
Scarring is highly individual and as such poor scars can form despite all precautions being taken.
As a Plastic Surgeon I perform a lot of surgery and use the above methods for scars on my patients.
I hope it helps.
So time does help, however there are steps that can help improve scarring.
1) meticulous suturing technique (not clips!!)
2) taping the scar after the sutures have been removed (if they need removing) for 6-8 weeks)
By taping I would suggest using micro pore tape (3M), apply it weekly and keep it on
in the shower/bath changing it once per week.
3) massage of the scar, doesn't matter what with - bio-oil, E45
this helps soften any scarring.
There are other silicon based ointments/gels, the evidence associated with them isn't that strong
and they cost £50 per tube
Scarring is highly individual and as such poor scars can form despite all precautions being taken.
As a Plastic Surgeon I perform a lot of surgery and use the above methods for scars on my patients.
I hope it helps.
A big factor with scarring is how well the surgeon is who stitches you up. I'm very fortunate, especially when I had my lip split open and my orbital fractures, that the stitches were really close together - if the nurse who removes the stitches has difficulty in doing so, that's usually a good sign.
drfrank said:
A scar takes approximately 2 years to fully mature.
So time does help, however there are steps that can help improve scarring.
1) meticulous suturing technique (not clips!!)
2) taping the scar after the sutures have been removed (if they need removing) for 6-8 weeks)
By taping I would suggest using micro pore tape (3M), apply it weekly and keep it on
in the shower/bath changing it once per week.
3) massage of the scar, doesn't matter what with - bio-oil, E45
this helps soften any scarring.
There are other silicon based ointments/gels, the evidence associated with them isn't that strong
and they cost £50 per tube
Scarring is highly individual and as such poor scars can form despite all precautions being taken.
As a Plastic Surgeon I perform a lot of surgery and use the above methods for scars on my patients.
I hope it helps.
Interesting advice So time does help, however there are steps that can help improve scarring.
1) meticulous suturing technique (not clips!!)
2) taping the scar after the sutures have been removed (if they need removing) for 6-8 weeks)
By taping I would suggest using micro pore tape (3M), apply it weekly and keep it on
in the shower/bath changing it once per week.
3) massage of the scar, doesn't matter what with - bio-oil, E45
this helps soften any scarring.
There are other silicon based ointments/gels, the evidence associated with them isn't that strong
and they cost £50 per tube
Scarring is highly individual and as such poor scars can form despite all precautions being taken.
As a Plastic Surgeon I perform a lot of surgery and use the above methods for scars on my patients.
I hope it helps.
How does the micro pore tape help, that's new on me.
No one knows !!!
Various theories banded about but none with decent evidence.
The only half decent paper was published in PRS (plastic & reconstructive surgery - highest impact plastic surgery journal in USA). It looked at C-section scars and taped half the scar. The split scars were then blindly assessed and the two halves scored, those that were taped looked better.
Scarless wound healing is the Holy Grail of Plastic Surgery
Various theories banded about but none with decent evidence.
The only half decent paper was published in PRS (plastic & reconstructive surgery - highest impact plastic surgery journal in USA). It looked at C-section scars and taped half the scar. The split scars were then blindly assessed and the two halves scored, those that were taped looked better.
Scarless wound healing is the Holy Grail of Plastic Surgery
drfrank said:
No one knows !!!
Various theories banded about but none with decent evidence.
The only half decent paper was published in PRS (plastic & reconstructive surgery - highest impact plastic surgery journal in USA). It looked at C-section scars and taped half the scar. The split scars were then blindly assessed and the two halves scored, those that were taped looked better.
Scarless wound healing is the Holy Grail of Plastic Surgery
I seem to remember TV & New Scientist articles about some hormone? that stopped the body going into panic mode when cut so that scars didn't form.Various theories banded about but none with decent evidence.
The only half decent paper was published in PRS (plastic & reconstructive surgery - highest impact plastic surgery journal in USA). It looked at C-section scars and taped half the scar. The split scars were then blindly assessed and the two halves scored, those that were taped looked better.
Scarless wound healing is the Holy Grail of Plastic Surgery
Was this hokum or did it cause awful side effects?
I have a scar across my tummy in a similar location from back surgery (they go in from the front). I did use bio-oil but didn't know about the tape thing. The scar is a scar, but it is a lot better than the one from my dodgy appendix surgery when I was about 9 ! I believe that's down to the surgeon doing a better job, perhaps techniques have moved on in the past 30 years In the end though, it's a scar and I don't mind about mine. Shows if I wear a bikini but so what - it has its own story to tell
The bit that annoys me, is for some reason although the scar itself isn't tooooo bad, it (like the appendix scar next to it) sort of holds your tummy in, so if you put any weight on it makes a shelf rather than a nice smooth tummy! That is frustrating !
In the end though, it's a scar and I don't mind about mine. Shows if I wear a bikini but so what - it has its own story to tell The bit that annoys me, is for some reason although the scar itself isn't tooooo bad, it (like the appendix scar next to it) sort of holds your tummy in, so if you put any weight on it makes a shelf rather than a nice smooth tummy! That is frustrating !
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