Minimizing Scars from Gastric Bypass Surgery

The primary reason people have Gastric Bypass Surgery is to reduce clinical obesity and to improve their medical condition. Often times surgeons are more concerned with the placement of the incisions and the drain than with how the skin will heal after the procedure. As a result, some people end up with thicker, wider and more pronounced scarring.

Gastric Bypass Surgery Scars
There are typically five small incisions, each about a half-inch in length, that are made during gastric bypass surgery. These incisions will eventually heal and turn into scars. According to the University of California San Francisco Medical Center, treating gastric bypass surgery scars with silicone scar gel sheets is an effective way to remove the scars, although the exact results will depend on the skin type of the patient. Keep in mind that the body can dehydrate more easily after weight loss surgery, so it is important to keep up on fluid intake for best results.

Plastic Surgery Scars
After losing significant amounts of weight through gastric bypass surgery, some patients are left with an abundance of excess skin. They may wish to have a face lift or body lift to remove the extra skin and improve the body’s overall shape. This type of Plastic Surgery can also cause scarring. A tummy tuck, for example, results in scars near the navel, or bellybutton. Using Scarfade scar gel or sheeting worn under the clothes can be helpful in reducing Plastic Surgery scars.