What to do?

You can have additional scar “revision” surgery. There is dermabrasion (scraping scar tissue down), chemical peels and laser scar treatments. You may say, “around my tummy?” Many prefer to avoid these medical scar therapies because they would make scars more apparent for the many months of scar treatment.

Silicone scar creams and gels give you private tummy tuck scar treatment.

The advantage of a silicone scar gel is that it is invisible while it works. You avoid drawing more attention to a tummy tuck scar during treatment.

• Silicone scar treatment forms a protective layer which discourages infection from outside sources.
• In addition, the layer encourages retention of moisture.
• Moisture is essential to speeding healing, which reduces scarring.

A scar will look worse before it looks better unless you use a scar treatment. Left alone, it can look red, and appear raised for up to one year. It is certain to look that way for the first two to four months.

Most plastic surgeons will wait one year before thinking about a scar revision surgery. This is troubling to people whose scars can be seen in public. They want to do something immediately.

Scar Therapy Helps Fading

• Reducing color can make a mark look smaller.
• Scar fading gives the appearance of a flatter scar.
• A medical study of silicone gel found one in three people experienced scar fading

Doctors acknowledge over-the-counter scar treatment is often sufficient

Once a year has passed, plastic surgeons may go to work on scar removal. Often they use a scar cream in conjunction with their techniques. This is because of the healing benefits of silicone. You may find  at-home use of scar cream eliminates the need for costly medical techniques.

• Silicone scar treatment can help reduce the appearance of some scars.
• No scar can be completely erased.
• Silicone-based products are frequently used alongside laser scar treatment, collagen  injections, and dermabrasion.

1. Silicone, which research proved effective.
2. Vitamin E. Researchers can’t agree.
3. Onion Extract.

Researchers at a major Texas medical school put onion extract to the test.

They wanted to know if it impacted scar symptoms such as redness and itching. They also checked for any change in the size of the surgical scars.

• 17 people with surgical scars were evaluated.
• They were given a topical gel on the day their stitches were removed.
• They were instructed to use the gel three times a day for a month.
• Only half of the ointments contained onion extract.

The results

1. The doctors found no evidence the onion extract gel shrinks scars.
2. They found that the test patients who were given petroleum jelly got more relief from redness than those using onion extract.
3. Petroleum jelly also relieved itching better than onion extract.

Scar Wars: Learning just a little about what causes scarring leads to improved scar treatment.

At Stanford University, a group dubbed the “scar wars team” moved a step forward in understanding scar formation.

• They demonstrated that pulling, pushing or stretching wounded skin increases scarring.
• The doctors believe that if they control pressure on skin as it heals, they will control scar formation.
• The researchers think engineering a change in physical forces around wounds could eliminate scarring.

Previous research into the “environment” of a wound indicated that applying a silicone scar treatment to a wound within two weeks of treatment encourages faster healing by encouraging moisture retention.

• If your scar causes physical difficulty you may be able to get insurance to pay for scar treatment.
• Insurance companies routinely deny coverage for plastic surgery scars or complications from plastic surgery.

How to Get Insurance Approval

• Ask your doctor to write a letter detailing your particular case, such as if you are a burn victim.
• Ask you doctor to take photos to help prove your case.

The overwhelming lack of insurance coverage for scar treatment makes silicone-based scar products one of the few affordable options.  Silicone has been proven to promote healing and reduce scar size and color.