Scars are your body’s way of healing from trauma, but the visual reminder can feel like you’ve been permanently disfigured. In fact, a desire to avoid having an unsightly scar could be stopping you from undergoing life-changing plastic surgery procedures. Believe it or not, there are ways to completely avoid scars or to minimize scars so that you can fully enjoy the results of your body enhancement procedure. Here are some tips on how to minimize or avoid scars from plastic surgery.
Choose Non-Surgical or Minimally Invasive Treatments
There are “plastic surgery” procedures that require no surgery at all. For example, laser skin resurfacing, BOTOX® Cosmetic, and injectable fillers can help your face look younger without any surgical scars from a facelift. Minimally invasive body contouring procedures such as liposuction and fat transfer can enhance your body shape with little to no scarring.
While these procedures will work for some individuals, others will need to undergo surgery to achieve their desired results. Here are some ways to reduce scarring from plastic surgery.
Choose an Experienced Surgeon
The importance of choosing an experienced plastic surgeon cannot be overemphasized. Choose a surgeon who is experienced and skilled in the particular procedure you seek to undergo. A highly renowned facial surgeon may perform a facelift with incredible precision and minimal scarring, but that does not mean he could do the same for a tummy tuck. An experienced, specialized surgeon can skillfully perform your procedure to ensure that your body heals with minimal scarring.
Follow the Surgeon’s Recommendations During Recovery
How well you follow your surgeon’s recommendations during recovery will influence how your scars heal. Follow every recommendation with careful attention so that your body heals properly and you do not strain the incisions. Individuals who push their bodies too hard and go to work or exercise before they are sufficiently healed will risk tearing their incisions and injuring their bodies. This will only cause complications and worse scarring.
Avoid Sun Exposure, Smoking, and Alcohol
Smoking and alcohol limit your circulation of oxygen, which is necessary for healthy healing. By avoiding these during recovery, you can avoid overworking your body. Additionally, sun exposure can worsen scars and cause them to darken. Keep your scars covered with clothing to minimize sun exposure. For example, after an arm lift, be sure to wear longer sleeves for at least a few months whenever you are out in the sun.
Use Scar Treatments to Minimize Scars
Scar treatments such as silicone sheets, silicone-containing topical ointment or creams, or embrace® Active Scar Defense can help to hold your skin together and protect it as it heals so that the scar formation is as thin and inconspicuous as possible. These scar treatments are especially helpful for minimizing surgical scars from major procedures such as a tummy tuck or breast augmentation.
When plastic surgery is performed by an experienced and skilled plastic surgeon and patients follow all of these recommendations, scarring after plastic surgery can be minimal. Scars resulting from plastic surgery will eventually fade over time and will come to feel like an easy trade-off for the improvements made to your body. Patients who undergo plastic surgery and strive to minimize scarring by following these suggestions report high satisfaction with their experience and results.
Dr. Michael A. Jazayeri is a highly skilled plastic, cosmetic, and reconstructive surgeon and is board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS). To schedule your consultation with Dr. Jazayeri, plastic surgeon in Santa Ana, call our office at (714) 834-0101.