3 Important Healing Tips To Reduce Tummy Tuck Scars

A tummy tuck plastic surgery—formally known as an abdominoplasty—comes with one of the more extensive scars of all plastic surgeries. While it is hidden beneath the panty line, patients often want to take every step possible to help their tummy tuck scar heal ideally. Thankfully, there are multiple ways to promote healing when recovering from an abdominoplasty as well as after your initial recovery has ended.

Of course, your surgeon will provide instructions based on your medical history and specific procedure. However, some best practices come with tummy tuck surgery that can help patients see a more discreet scar form.

1: Avoid Stress On The Healing Scar

For the first few weeks after surgery, the scar is fragile and more likely to pop open. To avoid this, patients need to prevent physical stress on the area. Following a tummy tuck, this may include taking various precautions like hunching over at a 90-degree angle and sleeping reclined at an angle. Laying flat or standing straight can place stress on the area which can cause pain, discomfort, and for the stitches to come open. Generally, this lasts around three weeks post-surgery.

Avoiding stress on the scar also includes ceasing strenuous exercise and activity. Depending on the activity, these restrictions may last up to eight weeks. Patients usually return to work in two to three weeks and can return to most (if not all) of their routine within eight weeks.

2: Topical Scar Treatment

Scar creams are limited in what they can achieve. However, when begun early enough during the healing process and with the right ingredients, scar creams can help limit certain unfavorable scar qualities. Scar Protocol is a physician-formulated scar treatment that begins within weeks after surgery and commences one year following the procedure. This can help limit the texture, pigment, and projection of surgical scars.

While overall healing does depend on several factors, Scar Protocol plays a key role in maintaining skin quality and structure during the healing process. The protocol can also be customized to fit a patient’s needs.

3: Avoid Sun Exposure

It can be tempting to immediately go and enjoy your tummy tuck results as soon as you have recovered. However, patients should be careful not to expose their scar to the sun or damaging environmental factors. This can affect the look of the scar. Normally, keeping the scar covered and fully shielded from the sun for at least ninety days will significantly help prevent hyperpigmentation. However, the longer the better. Within about six to nine months, patients can expose their scar, but should still apply a high SPF sunscreen throughout the day.

Best Form of Tummy Tuck Scar Treatment

Everyone’s tummy tuck recovery experience is different. Additionally, many factors influence scarring such as smoking, medical history, medications, skin tone, sun exposure, and adherence to post-operative guidelines. Your surgeon will provide personalized instructions based on you, your medical history, and specific surgery. Patients prone to raised or hyperpigmented scars should tell their surgeon during their consultation so that their surgeon can make plans based on this.

Prevention is the best form of scar treatment. Instead of taking steps to treat scarring one or two years after surgery, taking proactive steps to prevent scarring long before it forms places patients at an advantage when it comes to healing and the appearance of future scars.