Problematic wounds are often caused by an severe injury/surgery such as dog bites, car accidents, medical surgeries or aesthetic procedures. Once these wounds heal, they might leave abnormal scars such as keloids and hypertropic scars. There are handful of solutions to address them. In some cases, topical silicone scar gel like Nourisil MD is an effective option for scar management. In other cases, nevertheless, these abnormal scars might first be significantly improved with a surgical revision procedure to make them even less prominent.
Read on to learn more about the scar revision surgery, what you can expect after scar revision surgery, and clinically-proven scar care solutions after your revision surgery.
What is scar revision surgery?
According to American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), scar revision surgery will attempt to minimize a scar so that it is less conspicuous and blends in with the surrounding skin tone and texture. “The goal is to make the scar as smooth and invisible as possible and make the patient more comfortable with the way he or she looks.”, says Salvatore Pacella, MD, a plastic surgeon at Scripps Clinic.
Meanwhile, according to MedlinePlus, scar revision surgery “also restores function, and corrects skin changes (disfigurement) caused by an injury, wound, poor healing, or previous surgery.” Aside from merely reducing your scars’ visibility, this surgical treatment can help you lead a better life.
According to American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), there are four steps of a scar revision procedure: anesthesia (step 1)- treatment (step 2)- sometimes for deeper scars an incision is needed to surgically remove the old scar (step 3)- closing the incisions (step 4). For step of treatment, your plastic surgeon may recommend a combination of scar revision techniques to achieve the best results, including topical treatments, injectable treatments and surface treatments to soften surface irregularities and reduce uneven pigmentation.
What can I expect after scar revision surgery?
Healthgrades indicates that identifying what to expect after scar revision surgery can help you to recovery as smooth as possible.
Scar revision surgeries are basically outpatient procedures, so you might need a friend or family member to drive you home and stay with you the first night after your surgery.
You can be required to apply an elastic dressing around your incision to help prevent abnormal scars from forming or recurring. In some cases, possibly, you will have swelling, redness and bruising following scar revision surgery. Your doctor will help you treat your discomfort. Bruising and swelling might disappear within a few weeks.
“Recovery after scar revision surgery is a gradual process”, says Healthgrades. Recovery time varies depending on the procedure, type of anesthesia, your general health, age, and other factors. Your doctor will provide you with medical instructions about coming back to daily activities based on the location and size of your scar. The complete recovery and optimal scar improvement takes a year or more.
Scar management with silicone gel
Once your wound has closed properly, and the stitches have been removed, it is the recommended time to start applying topical silicone gel for scar management. Silicone gel technology is a clinically-proven treatment option for reducing the abnormal scars with over 30 years of evidence to support its safety and effectiveness. Silicone gel is recommended as the first-line topical scar treatment option by physicians, surgeons, and scar management experts. Silicone gel increases hydration of stratum corneum and thereby facilitates regulation of fibroblast production and reduction in collagen production, which results into softer and flatter scar. It allows skin to “breathe”. Additionally, silicone gel protects the scarred tissue from bacterial invasion and prevents bacteria-induced excessive collagen production in the scar tissue.
Before you schedule your scar revision surgery, make sure to order silicone scar gel like Nourisil MD, Bapscarcare Gel for scar flattening. If you’d like a product to cover your wound overnight, Bapscarcare S, Bapscarcare T is a fantastic option for protection and scar recovery.