Scar healing: ask an expert

Escrito por: Mr Rob Winterton
Publicado:
Editado por: Cal Murphy

Operations leave scars and plastic surgery is no exception. Many patients may worry about going under the knife because of the marks they could be left with. How long does it take scars to settle and how can you look after them and help them to heal? We asked expert plastic surgeon Mr Rob Winterton our biggest questions about scar healing.

Author: Genusfotografen (Tomas Gunnarsson) / Wikimedia; License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/legalcode

How long can it take for scars to settle after plastic surgery?

Everybody is different. From a medical perspective, scars will usually keep changing and improving over a couple of years. Most improvements are seen over the first 3-6 months. With the passage of time, almost all scars fade, becoming white and soft after long enough. Particularly after plastic surgery, everyone wants it to happen immediately, but it’s a question of waiting.

 

Do I need to avoid the sun?

Surgical scars are more sensitive to the sun than the normal skin surrounding them, and so they’ll need protecting with high-factor sun cream and covering with clothing during the maturation process. Eventually, once mature, they can be treated normally, using the same sun precautions as you would use on the surrounding skin.

 

Can exercising interfere with scar healing?

No! Basically, once the original wound has healed and your surgeon says you can return to action, exercise won’t make any difference to the scar per se. 

 

Are there any creams or products I can use to help them heal?

In the case of uncomplicated scars, there are three key things that usually help them to heal. The steps to scar treatment are:

  • Stretch
  • Massage
  • Moisturise

Stretching and massaging are physical manipulations the patient should be doing regularly. Scars are made of collagen – a structural protein found all over the body. However, unlike in the original tissue, the collagen in scars forms cross-links and aligns in one direction, making them stand out against normal skin. Stretching and massaging help to break down some of the cross-links in the collagen, which helps the scar to soften more quickly. Massaging with some sort of moisturiser also helps.

For regular scars, there are two main kinds of products for sale out there:

There is not much evidence that any one is better than any other.

My best advice is that the patient should be using a good moisturiser that is kind to the skin and stretching/massaging frequently.

If a scar is hypertrophic (red, pink, lumpy, and itchy), then a silicone preparation or silicone sheets can help to settle the scar down and control symptoms.

 

Are there any foods I should eat/avoid?

There is no strong evidence to say that diet will affect scar quality, other than being well-nourished and eating a generally healthy, balanced diet.

 

Do you have any other tips on looking after scars?

The two main tips I have are as follows:

  • Listen to the advice of your plastic surgeon.
  • Stretch, massage, and moisturise – nobody does this as much as they should. Make time in your life to look after your scars!

 

Visit Mr Winterton’s Top Doctors profile to book an appointment.

Por Mr Rob Winterton
Cirugía plástica, estética y reparadora

El Sr. Rob Winterton es un consultor plástico, reconstructivo y cirujano de manos con sede en el noroeste ( Manchester y Rochdale ). Cuenta con más de 15 años de experiencia y ha trabajado internacionalmente. El Sr. Winterton se especializa en cirugía estética, cirugía de manos, cirugía de senos y cirugía de la piel.

Inicialmente calificado en la Universidad de Newcastle Upon Tyne, el Sr. Winterton completó su entrenamiento quirúrgico superior en el programa de capacitación de registrador de cirugía plástica de Leeds / Manchester durante seis años. Desde 2013, el Sr. Winterton pasó un año trabajando en Adelaide, Australia. Esta experiencia le permitió consolidar su experiencia en cirugía estética y reconstructiva.

Después de regresar al Reino Unido en 2014, el Sr. Winterton completó el Diploma Británico en Cirugía de la Mano, para el cual ahora enseña a estudiantes actuales. Presenta su trabajo a nivel nacional e internacional, con un sólido repertorio de capítulos de libros y artículos revisados por pares a su nombre. El Sr. Winterton es miembro del consejo para la región noroeste de la Asociación Británica de Cirujanos de estética y reconstrucción plástica (BAPRAS) y se esfuerza por ofrecer excelencia en su práctica en todo Manchester.

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