Minimising scarring after surgery.
Whenever destruction occurs to the skin it may result in the formation of a scar. As a child, skinning your knee may lead to a scar. The same is true of surgical procedures, even cosmetic surgical procedures, irrespective of the skill of your surgeon. Making an incision in the skin, which usually requires cutting through all of the layers of the skin, may finish up in scarring after surgery, regardless of where on the body surgical procedure is performed.
Of work, surgical procedures performed by a less expert surgeon may lead to a greater degree of scarring, but lots of times the skill of the surgeon has no effect on the degree of scarring after surgery
Why doesn’t the skill of the surgeon make a difference in lots of cases?
Because your surgeon cannot control all the factors that select how badly you will scar.
Sure factors beyond your control influence your ability to heal without scarring. These risk factors cannot be changed by the individual undergoing surgery.
Risk Factors For Scarring:
* Your Age: As it ages, our skin becomes less elastic and becomes thinner. This is because collagen (which makes the skin elastic) changes as it ages, and the fat layer under our skin becomes thinner. The result of these changes, along with sun exposure, smoking, exposure to the environment and other lifestyle issues, means that skin does not heal as well or as quickly as it becomes older. The benefit of age is that the imperfections that occur over time, like sun damage, work to help conceal scars that might be more obvious on more youthful skin.
* Your Race:
Some races are more likely to scar than others. Black people are more likely to form hypertrophic & keloid scars, which are an overgrowth of scar tissue at the site of an injury. Fair skinned people may find that their scars are more obvious than they would be with a darker complexion.
* Genetic (Inherited) Tendency To Scar:
If your parents or siblings tend to scar heavily, you are likely to do the same. If you have a relatives who have a tendency to scar badly, you may require to speak about this with your surgeon.
* Size & Depth of Your Incision:
A massive incision is much more likely to leave a scar than a small incision. The deeper & longer the incision, the longer the healing will take & the greater the chance for scarring. A bigger incision may be exposed to more stress as you move, which may also cause slower healing.
* How Quickly Your Skin Heals:
You may be one of the genetically lucky individuals who appear to heal magically, quickly & basically with minimal scarring, or you may be diabetic & your skin tends to heal slowly. How quickly you heal is a personal thing & can change with disease or injury.
Stopping Scars
Stopping scars means focusing on the factors that you can control. Some ways are simple, like following the instructions your surgeon gives you to the letter. Others are not so simple, like quitting smoking.
* Smoking:
Not only does smoking increase your risk for scars, it can also slow your healing. Smoking is such a significant risk factor that lots of plastic surgeons won’t operate on a patient if they does not quit smoking COMPLETELY for at least 2 weeks prior to surgical procedure.
* Drinking:
Alcohol dehydrates both the body & skin, which decreases your overall state of health. While your wound is healing, avoid alcohol & focus on non-caffeinated drinks.
* Nutrition:
Eat a balanced diet with an emphasis on protein intake. Protein makes up the building blocks of healing skin, so it is essential to provide your body with adequate protein (chicken, pork, fish, seafood, beef, dairy products) to permit your skin to heal. In case you do not like eating meat, soy products provide an excellent alternative as a lean protein source.
* Hydration:
Dehydration happens when you are not taking in fluids. In extreme cases, this may cause electrolyte imbalances & heart issues. In less extreme cases, you will feel thirsty & your overall health will be diminished. Staying well hydrated (Tip: If you are well-hydrated, your urine will be colorless or light in color) will help keep your healing headed in the right direction.
* Your Weight:
In case you are fat, you may be at greater risk for scarring. Why? The fat under your skin can work against your surgeons best efforts to close your incision seamlessly.
Rest:
If your doctor suggests that you rest for four weeks, don’t return to work after one week of healing. Exhausting yourself won’t help your wound heal & can actually slow healing.
Proper Wound Care:
Taking the steps recommended by your surgeon may be the single most important thing you can do to prevent scars. Taking measures to prevent infection, refraining from using ointments & treatments that are not prescribed, & other general incision care techniques are essential to healing without scars.
Identify Infection Quickly: If your incision becomes infected, it is important that you can identify the signs of infection & seek help from your physician immediately. An infection can seriously weaken healing & can contribute to scarring.
Chronic Disease:
Diabetes & lots of other illnesses can slow healing. For the best feasible outcome, your disease ought to be as well-controlled as feasible before surgical procedure & in the work of your recovery. For example, for a diabetic it is essential for blood glucose levels to be within normal limits as much as possible as high levels slow healing.
Stress on Your Incision:
Putting stress on your incision by lifting, bending or doing anything that stretches or puts tension on the incision ought to be avoided. This stress can pull the incision apart, delaying healing & often making the wound larger than it needs to be, which increases the size of your scar.
Exposure to Sunlight:
Avoid having the sun on your incision whenever feasible. If your scar is in place that is difficult to cover, such as your face, invest in a nice sunscreen. Your surgeon can tell you when it is safe to apply ointments, but it is usually safe to do so when the sutures are removed or the incision has closed .
In case you are seriously concerned about scarring, think about discussing the following methods of scar minimization & prevention along with your surgeon. Your surgeon may be able to prescribe additional treatments that lower your chances of scarring.
* Silicone Wound Treatment:
Silicone wound dressings feel similar to a thick plastic wrap that you would use in the kitchen. Silicone, however, does not adhere to your wound, allowing it to protect your incision from stress & contamination without damaging the skin when it is removed. Studies have shown that silicone can help reduce scarring & is often used after cosmetic surgical procedure. Speak about silicone dressings along with your surgeon prior to your procedure, as the surgeon will require to apply this type of bandage.
* Incision Placement:
In some surgeries, the position of the incision is not absolute. You may be able to speak to your surgeon about where the incision is placed to either hide or help minimize scars. For example, a Caesarean section can be performed with a vertical incision, which may be more obvious, or a horizontal incision, which may be disguised by a bikini.
* Prescription Medications:
In case you have a twisted to scar badly, your surgeon may be able to prescribe cleansers, ointments or a wound care system to help.
* Massage:
More doctors are recommending that patients (or a licensed massage therapist) massage their scars. This ought to be completed after the wound closes & any staples or sutures are removed. Massaging an incision & the surrounding tissue may even out any bumps or lumps that stay after the healing system. Be sure to make use of ample lotion, so that your fingers don’t “stick” to your skin, but slide freely.
* Steroid Injections:
In case you are liable to forming keloid scars, talk to your surgeon about having a steroid injection to prevent the formation of another keloid.
