Scar creams

Hello,
I'm a WLS pre-op so while it seems I have no business on this board I'm looking for advice for red scars I have from a tendonitis surgery. I have been using Mederma for a few months but I don't see a difference at all.
Any suggestions for something to reduce the redness? Thanks!

I am not a medical professional and you are not going to like my answer -- but here it is, time!  One of my plastic surgeon suggested silicon strips and another of my plastic surgeons said that while scar creams and strips work for some people (and would certainly not make them worse) they did not work for everyone.  His advise was to just be sure I put moisturizer on my scars.  Preferably something that contained vitamin E or aloe.

Red

well I figure I'll do everything I can while the scar is still relatively new and yes hopefully it'll fade in time!

Kelocote.  You might need to have the pharmacy order it or order it online on their website.  Long's Drugstore carries it but Long's has been bought out by CVS and have virtually disappeared.

I googled kelocote and it looks worthy of a try! Thank you!

FWIW: I tried an experiment on my panniculectomy incision... I put Mederma on one section, vitamin e oil on one section, and nothing but normal body moisturizer on the rest.  There was very little difference between the three sections (and, if anything, the Mederma area actually was darker than the other two).

I used silicon gel strips on my arm incisions and one arm still healed up better than the other...  so I'm just sticking to the moisturizer with shea/cocoa butter...  MUCH cheaper and seems to work just as well.

Lora

Your experiment is exactly what I'm looking for!
And it concurs with my experience so far with Mederma. I finished the Mederma tube and I wasn't sold on buying it again.
Thanks so much!

Avon carries a lotion that has Vitamin A  C AND E ...Best you will ever use and it works the best ..
My DR said to use a vit E one if I couldnt find the one with  A C and E.. 
I used the scar creams , NONE did as well as this ..
It is called Moisture Therapy wit A C & E ,,,You have to massag eit twice a day with this and use all the fingers in a circular motion fairly hard to break up the tissue ,,,Not brutal but firmly and the scars will lie flat ,,,,USE COMPRESSION GARMENTS TOO  as long as you can stand it ..
THese are what worked for me ,....

Okay I'll see my avon lady about it. Thanks!
And yes I regret not compressing the incision better. After future surgery I will def remember it's worth the agony.

Good advice, all.  This is a copy of something I googled today...I getting back to massaging big time.

Scars are the body's way of healing wounds. The type and extent of the scar is dependent on how deep the wound is and how a person's system produces scar tissue.  Scar tissue is not only present on the outside where you see the scar, but also  in the deep layers of the skin. Therefore, the deeper the wound is, the deeper the scar will be also.

The three phases of wound healing are:

1. Immediately after you have sustained a wound or have had surgery, the Inflammatory Phase starts. This phase is marked by swelling, pain and discoloration. While uncomfortable, the inflammatory phase sets the stage for the first phase of healing. The skin cells that let in the swelling also let in "clean-up" cells that help carry the swelling and debris away and make room for new cells and tissue.

2. During the second phase of wound healing, the Proliferative Phase, the base of the scar starts to form. A special type of cell called a fibroblast deposits collagen in the wound to close the gap and provide the base for new skin to grow. The deeper and wider the wound is, the more collagen is needed to fill the gap, resulting in a bigger scar.

3. In the third phase of wound healing and scar formation, called Remodeling Phase, the body continues to produce collagen for up to 2 years. In some cases, too much collagen is produced, resulting in a raised or thickened scar, also called a hypertrophic scar. The fibrous collagen can attach itself to other layers of tissue around it, such as tendons or muscles, and can restrict movement. This is called an adhesion. Adhesions or raised scars can be treated to soften the scar tissue and relieve the adhesions.

Treatments, including massage, moisturization and compression, are most effective during the early stages of the remodeling phase but can be effective even months after the wound has healed. Scar treatment will be discussed in more detail in a future blog.