Having surgery? Worried about scars forming? Well, it’s a fact of life that surgery leaves scars. But it’s up to you to decide how you will help make them less noticeable. It’s important to note that scars from surgery vary from other types of scars. First, you can’t really avoid a surgical scar, especially when a doctor has to use a scalpel to cut through your flesh, in the event of a C-section or total knee replacement.
How precise the incision is or how deep the incision was will all play into the resulting scar. Surgeons can’t exactly control your age, family history, skin quality, or chronic illness.
Thus, surgical scarring and healing rates will all vary by individual. Plus, there are certain factors that increase your risk of wider and thicker scars despite how good of a job the surgeon does. And like other scars, surgical scars can and do change throughout the healing process. The first week, you will see a large and red scar as it enters the inflammatory stage. Once in repair mode, though, the proliferative stage enters. After that, the remodeling/maturation phase begins, which is where the collagen alignment comes into play. This phase can last many months.
How to Reduce Surgical Scar Formation
While a surgical scar is largely out of your control, there are steps you can take to fade it as much as possible. As you heal after surgery, think about:
- Stopping smoking: That’s because tobacco slows down the healing process, putting you at a higher risk of scarring than non-smokers.
- Get lots of ZZZs so your body can heal.
- Eat plenty of fruits and veggies, while increasing your protein intake and popping vitamins.
- Exercise minimally as you heal, gradually ramping it up later once the wound has fully healed.
- Cover the incision when you go outside, as UV ray exposure tends to darken scars. Do this for at least one year post-surgery. You may also want to wear protective clothing and apply 35 SPF sunscreen for exposed skin.
- Care for your wound to prevent infection and reduce scarring risk.
- Don’t soak in the tub or take a long shower, or at least apply a waterproof dressing in the shower for two weeks. Refrain from scrubbing the wound with soap until full healing occurs.
- Use home treatments like silicone sheets or gels when healing from surgical incisions. Massage Scarfade with gentle pressure into the area to break down this tough tissue and weaken it.
Just don’t get disheartened – it can take two years for surgical scars to fade.
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Let’s show you how Scarfade works to lessen the appearance of your surgical scars. Call now at 800-771-2215 or check out our products online.