How to Care for a Scar After Surgery
Every surgical incision creates a scar. While no treatment can make a scar disappear completely, proper scar care can help optimize how a scar heals and matures.
As a board-certified plastic surgeon, scar management is an important part of the postoperative care I provide my patients. Whether you’ve had a tummy tuck, breast surgery, facelift, body contouring procedure, C-section, or another operation, there are steps you can take to help your scar heal as well as possible.
When Does a Surgical Scar Start to Heal?
Scar formation begins as soon as an incision starts healing, but the appearance of a scar changes considerably over time. Early scars are often pink or red and may feel firm or raised. Over the following months, scars typically soften, flatten and fade.
Scar maturation is a slow process and can continue for a year or longer. This is why I tell my patients not to judge the final appearance of a surgical scar too early.
When Should You Start Scar Treatment After Surgery?
One of the most common questions I hear is, “When should I start treating my scar?”
Scar products should generally not be applied to an open incision. I typically have my plastic surgery patients begin scar treatment once the incision has completely closed and the initial healing is adequate—often approximately 2–3 weeks after surgery, although this varies depending on the procedure and the individual patient.
Always follow the instructions of your own surgeon, because healing times vary.
Why Is Silicone Used for Surgical Scars?
Silicone is one of the most commonly used options for managing surgical scars. Medical-grade silicone can be used as a gel or sheet over a healed scar.
Consistent silicone use can help improve the appearance of a scar, including its texture, thickness and redness. Silicone gel can be particularly convenient for areas where silicone sheets are difficult to keep in place or wear comfortably.
How Long Should You Use Silicone Scar Gel?
Scar treatment isn't something you do for a few days. Scars continue to change for many months.
I generally recommend consistent scar care for several months. Depending on the scar and how it is maturing, silicone treatment may be continued for 6–9 months or longer.
Consistency is more important than aggressively treating the scar for a short period of time.
What About Scar Discoloration?
Texture and thickness aren't the only concerns patients have about scars. Some scars develop persistent redness or changes in pigmentation.
Scar discoloration may require a different approach than scar thickness or texture. This is why a comprehensive scar-care routine may address both the physical characteristics of the scar and unwanted pigmentation.
Sun protection is also important because ultraviolet exposure can make scar discoloration more noticeable and persistent.
Scar Care After a Tummy Tuck
Tummy tuck scars are particularly important to manage because they are long incisions and may take many months to mature.
Once the incision has healed sufficiently, silicone scar treatment can become part of the postoperative routine. Patients should also minimize unnecessary tension on the incision, follow their surgeon's activity restrictions, and protect the scar from sun exposure.
Scar Care After Breast Surgery
Breast augmentation, breast lift and breast reduction can all create surgical scars in different locations.
Depending on the operation, scars may be located beneath the breast, around the areola or vertically along the lower breast. Once these incisions are fully healed, silicone gel can be useful because it can be applied directly to areas where silicone sheets may be inconvenient.
What I Recommend to My Plastic Surgery Patients
My approach to scar care is simple: allow the incision to heal properly, begin scar treatment at the appropriate time, be consistent, and be patient.
I developed FADE Silicone Scar Gel as a convenient medical-grade silicone option for my plastic surgery patients and others looking to improve the appearance of healed surgical scars.
For patients who are also concerned about scar discoloration, BRIGHT Pigment-Lightening TouchStick can be incorporated into a scar-care routine.
For those who want both products, the Scar Reducing Duo combines FADE and BRIGHT into one regimen.
The Bottom Line
Good scar care requires patience. Surgical scars continue to mature for many months, and no product can completely eliminate a scar.
However, appropriate wound care, sun protection, medical-grade silicone and consistent long-term scar management can help optimize the appearance of a healed surgical scar.
Matthew Schulman, MD
Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon
New York City
Founder, MSMD SkinTherapy