Question:
For those who have had open surgery, what have you used on your scar ?
And how long post-op did you wait before you applied anything to the incision? I have heard that cocoa butter is supposed to work well. I have also heard there is a product called "mederma" that you can get over the counter in a drug store, but it's expensive. I'm 4 weeks out and worried that it's too soon to be applying anything to the incision. — Michele C. (posted on January 2, 2003)
January 2, 2003
As soon as I had my sutures removed, I started using Aloe Vera cream. I
used the Walgreens brand. I think it was $3.99. I put it on every morning
and my scar is soft. I used it for about a year and now I din't need it
anymore.
— dolphins94
January 2, 2003
At first I used Natural vit E oil, then at about 6 months switched to plain
vaseline. The bottom half of my scar has disappeared and the top is
fading.
— ~~Stacie~~
January 2, 2003
hi there :) i waited a while but i now use baby lotion on my scar and
everywhere else, i love the smell of it and it makes the skin so soft. my
scar has healed beutifully and is very light in color. best of luck to you.
— carrie M.
January 2, 2003
I bought vitamin e oil to put on my scar and I think I have used it twice.
Now I don't put anything on it other than regular body lotion when I have
time to do that. It is soft and fading fast.
— salymsmommy
January 2, 2003
My doctor told me not to put stuff on my incision until it was healed on
the surface. I used vitamin e oil and it worked well. I don't have that
scar anymore, because my abdominoplasty got rid of all that stuff.
— Cara F.
January 2, 2003
put steri strips on it now if you don't want it to widen. i am 4 weeks post
op and my scar looks like a paper cut it is so thin. a plastic surgeon
told me to keep the steri strips on it (or some medical tape) so that the
skin doesn't pull and the scar stays narrow. vitamin e does nothing unless
it is in a lotion base that has chemicals to carry it down into the
subcutaneous layers of cells. Vitamin E oil is pure and will not get down
into the skin to do anything.
— Lynn S.
January 2, 2003
Mederma may cost some but it is worth it. I use it on everything that
could leave a scar(blemishes, insect bites, ect). I have used it before
after surgery and love the results. I know walmart carries it but I called
a few pharmacies first to price it. Ask your surgeon before putting
anything on it.
— Angie L.
January 2, 2003
I am a keloid former. All scars. Keloid means fat, red, ropey, thick,
stands up a bit, and mine also burn, itch & pull. That's just how it
is, no matter what method of closure was used, OR what I did. I had
injections to treat the keloid portion & used SCargo to fade the color.
I am JUST finishing the bottle I bought in 1996. LOL!
— vitalady
January 2, 2003
I used Mederma starting at about 8 weeks out. It works great. I would keep
steri strips on the incision! It kept my incision from spreading and it is
a pretty nonexistant line.
— Kelly L.
January 3, 2003
I'm four weeks post-op and my last surgi-strip fell off yesterday. I
bought the Mederma at Walgreen's for 26.99. I have just a few tiny scabs I
will wait to come off and then I'll apply the medicine. I have seen this
work on other RNY's and the scar was very hard to see even at 8 mos out.
I've tried the cocoa butter and the aloe vera and the scars could very well
be seen even years later. I have quite a few scars on my tummy I hope the
Mederma works on.
— jocelyn
January 3, 2003
Do a web search for silicone sheeting. I used that for several weeks. My
scar still keloided in some spots, but it's not too bad, and may have been
better if I'd had the patience to use it longer.
— Celia A.
January 5, 2003
I started using a product called Surgeon's Skin Secret right after my steri
strips fell off. I got it from QVC- it's also good for bad feet, elbows.
It's made out of beeswax, glycerin, and some other stuff. It's @ $18 but
lasts a LONGG time. Good luck!
— Loretta E.
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