After undergoing a tummy tuck procedure, many patients experience discomfort, such as dry, itchy skin around the surgical site. This can be a frustrating side effect of the healing process. However, using Neosporin can provide relief and soothe the skin. Neosporin is known for its healing properties and can help alleviate the itching and dryness, making the recovery process more comfortable for patients. By applying Neosporin to the affected area, patients can experience a soothing effect that promotes healing and reduces discomfort.
After showering, it is important to apply Mupirocin ointment or plain Neosporin to the incision to prevent infection. Make sure to apply new, clean dressings and hold them in place with your undergarments. It is also important to replace the abdominal binder for proper support. Avoid using tape or other adhesives on the abdomen, as this can cause blistering and tearing of the skin. Taking these steps will help promote proper healing and prevent complications after surgery.
Neosporin On Tummy Tuck Incision
If you’re planning on having a tummy tuck, you may be wondering what to do about the incision. The first thing you should know is that there are two kinds of incisions: vertical and transverse.
Vertical incisions are made across the abdomen, with each side extending from the underarm to just above the pubic bone. This type of incision is usually used in patients with large amounts of excess skin or fat tissue, but it can also be used in younger patients who have relatively little excess skin but still want to get rid of some fat. In this guide, we review the aspects of Neosporin On Tummy Tuck Incision, what can i put on my tummy tuck incision, best scar cream after tummy tuck surgery, and Can I put antibiotic ointment on my tummy tuck incision?
Transverse incisions run parallel to each other and extend down from the breastbone to the pubic bone. They are typically used in patients who have a smaller amount of excess skin or fat tissue, as they allow for better access to areas such as the lower abdomen where there isn’t much room for an extended vertical incision.
Reducing scars after plastic surgery is a goal of just about every one of our patients at Desert Hills Plastic Surgery Center. Board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Hayley Brown can help you promote proper wound healing, ultimately resulting in the lightest and flattest scar possible. Unfortunately, there are a lot of misconceptions and misleading marketing out there regarding scar treatment. Please read below to see what those misconceptions are.
Does Vitamin E Work?
Don’t fall for the vitamin E myth! Your mom may have told you that vitamin E is the best thing for treating scars, but it can actually worsen their appearance. Vitamin E sometimes causes an allergic reaction called contact dermatitis. This allergic reaction usually causes inflammation and a rash, which will impede healing along the incision. And there’s really no reason to try it: Scientific studies didn’t find a difference in scar quality from twice-daily application of vitamin E, Vaseline or Aquaphor.
What About Mederma Or Neosporin?
Mederma: Dr. Brown has reviewed at least three controlled studies showing no proven benefit when Mederma is used for scar treatment. You would see more benefit from applying lotion or Vaseline to a scar – three times per day for 8 weeks – than you would following the same regimen with Mederma. Dr. Brown’s advice is to skip this product and others like it completely.
Neosporin: This popular antibiotic ointment will help the incisions heal in the first two weeks after surgery only. You must stop using it once the wound is closed and healing. After that, Neosporin may cause contact dermatitis, creating the same rash and inflammation possible with vitamin E application.
Dr. Brown instructs her patients not to use vitamin E or Mederma on their incisions and scars. Instead, she asks them to keep in touch with her as their incisions heal – attempting to care for your scars on your own with information from the internet or television, or word of mouth, can result in an unnecessarily unsightly scar.
Tummy Tuck Incision Healing Stages
How To Reduce The Appearance Of Scars
Over years in practice, Dr. Brown has determined what works for scar reduction:
1. It starts with the plastic surgeon you choose. You want a plastic surgeon like Dr. Brown who meticulously and precisely closes the incision. Proper incision closure sets the stage for good wound healing.
2. Hydrate the healing scar to keep it moist. Wounds heal most effectively when the area is moist, not dry. The skin will fill in faster and the scars will be less visible – but the area should be dry at first. After complete incision healing, about 1-2 weeks after surgery, Dr. Brown recommends Cetaphil lotion to keep the scar soft and supple. Other options are Aquaphor or petroleum jelly. Having said all that, there should be a delicate balance. If the area gets too moist, then an infection may take hold or the tissue may not heal properly.
3. Massage the scar regularly. It helps soften and smooth scar tissue.
4. Silicone sheeting may be a good option, depending. Consistent use of silicone sheeting has been shown to reduce the visibility of scars. They can be purchased at our office or over-the-counter at your local grocery store or drugstore. Most likely these strips are effective because they apply pressure and hydration. The patient must wear them often enough for them to work, however, which can be difficult for some people to stick to. Sheets will need to be worn over the scars for most of the day and night, for a number of months.
5. Bleaching creams may work, depending. Dr. Brown sometimes prescribes hydroquinone for patients with a history of scar pigmentation. It’s a topical cream that will need to be applied twice a day. It can take 4-6 months for this method to work, and strict compliance with applying the cream is required.
6. Steroid injections may be recommended, depending. These injections may be recommended for hypertrophic and keloid scars. Dr. Brown must examine the scars first. About 6 weeks after surgery, Dr. Brown will be able to determine if the scar should be treated with a series of injections once every six weeks.
7. Protect the scar from sun exposure. Sun exposure worsens the appearance of scars. Sunscreen is required to prevent darkening and persistent redness. After surgery, the skin on the treatment area will be very sensitive to the sun. Sunscreen must be worn on that area for at least a year after surgery (when the area is exposed to the sun).
8. Take care of yourself and be well. A nutritious diet will support wound healing. It’s also important not to smoke! Smoking is of course bad for you anyway, but it also impedes healing.
What About Old Or Mature Scars?
The treatments mentioned above are for immature scars, scars that are in the process of healing and remodeling. Usually after 1 year or longer, when the pinkness of the scar is resolved, the scar’s appearance is permanent. Here are options for improving scar quality in mature scars:
1. Surgery. Surgical scar revisions DO NOT remove scars. Plastic surgeons perform surgical scar revision to alter its size, make it narrower, re-orient it so that it lies along natural skin folds and tension lines, and to improve upon depth and irregular texture. Surgery for hypertrophic or keloid scars has a very high risk for recurrence. Since the recurrence rate with surgical excision alone in keloid scars is about 50 percent, surgical excision is usually combined with one or more of the other listed techniques.
2. Injectible fillers. Injecting substances such as Juvederm or fat can immediately raise sunken scars. However, this treatment doesn’t last permanently and may need to be repeated.
3. Dermabrasion. This procedure uses special equipment to remove the surface of the skin, helping to reduce the look of raised scars. Basically you sand down the skin so it is more level. It works best on the face, but results can be subtle.
4. Laser resurfacing. This is done two ways: The skin surface is removed with lasers, or lasers are used to work on the collagen in the dermis without removing the upper layer of skin.
what can i put on my tummy tuck incision
I have a tummy tuck incision and I’m so worried about scars. What can I do to prevent them? Here are a few tips:
Soothe The Swelling
- Use a cold pack. Ice packs are great for reducing swelling, and you can use them several times a day to keep your incision area comfortable.
- Avoid heat. Heat increases blood flow and may cause more swelling than you want to deal with right now! Instead, opt for something cool like an ice pack or compress–and remember not to apply it directly on top of your incision site (that could cause pain). Keep in mind that this should only be done for 15 minutes at a time before removing it for another 15 minutes so as not to risk frostbite or other adverse effects from prolonged exposure.*
Keep It Clean
- Clean the incision area with a sterile solution.
- Pat dry with a clean towel, being careful not to rub or scrub the incision.
- Do not use hydrogen peroxide, alcohol or iodine on your tummy tuck incisions. These products can cause irritation and may delay healing time of your scars by several months. They also increase scarring in some cases!
- It’s best to avoid ointments, lotions and creams on your new scars as well; they won’t help improve their appearance but could cause further irritation if you have sensitive skin (like me!).
Avoid Irritants
Avoiding irritants is important for all wounds, but it’s especially important for tummy tuck incisions. Irritants can cause pain and discomfort, as well as prolong healing time.
What are some common irritants?
- Alcohol, including beer and wine (even red wine). Don’t drink alcohol until your doctor says it’s okay to do so!
- Caffeine: Avoid coffee or other caffeinated drinks like tea or soda–they’ll speed up your heart rate and increase blood flow to the area of the incision. This can lead to bruising and swelling around the site of surgery; if you must have caffeine after surgery, limit yourself to one cup per day until fully healed (usually six weeks).
Prevention Is The Best Medicine
Tummy tuck incisions are sensitive and need to be kept clean. To do this, you should avoid rubbing or scratching the area and keep it covered with a bandage until your doctor says it’s okay to remove it.
If possible, wear loose-fitting clothing after your tummy tuck so that there is minimal pressure on your incision site. Avoid lifting heavy objects for at least six weeks after surgery as well–if something falls on top of you (or if someone accidentally bumps into you), this could cause additional damage to both internal tissues as well as scars from previous surgeries or injuries such as stretch marks or c-section wounds that run deep into skin layers below visible scar tissue levels
If you have a tummy tuck incision, there are a few things you should be doing to prevent scars.
- Avoid infections: Your incision will be open for several weeks and it’s important to keep it clean so that it heals properly. You should wash your hands before touching the wound or anything else in the area around it, as well as using antiseptic wipes on any equipment used during surgery (including gloves). Make sure that all family members know not to touch this area either!
- Keep the incision clean: After each shower or bath while wearing compression garments, pat dry with a clean towel then apply an antibiotic ointment such as Vaseline or A&D Ointment twice daily until healed (usually 4-6 weeks). Avoid soaking these areas because this can lead to infections later down the road when sutures come out too early and cause bleeding under skin surface layers which results in redness/swelling around scar line area–this condition is called “seroma.” If this happens after surgery then call us immediately so we can drain fluid out manually via syringe needle inserted through outer layer(s) removed during procedure; otherwise wait until next visit scheduled post surgery date before further action taken against possible complications arising from improper care instructions given by doctors involved with procedures performed prior their surgeries took place.
best scar cream after tummy tuck surgery
All surgery involves incisions, and these incisions turn into scars. With proper care and these great tips, the scars you get from your tummy tuck surgery can be visibly reduced so they’re barely noticeable.
Aflatter stomach, contoured waist, smoother skin, and better muscle tone — your tummy tuck surgery has done wonders for your body. You’re ecstatic about your leaner, fitter shape, but are concerned about how to minimize the appearance of the scars you’ve been left with. Typical tummy tuck scars are located in one or more of these areas:
Pelvic area
Regardless of whether you had a mini or full tummy tuck, you’ll have a scar that runs horizontally across your lower abdomen from hip to hip, located a few centimetres below your belly button. The horizontal scar can vary in length. It may be just a few centimetres, which is often the case for mini tucks, or extend well over each hip to the sides of your back. The scar may also be placed in relatively the same spot where a C-section was.
Belly button
Full abdominoplasty involves a scar around your belly button. This scar may be quite noticeable at first, but with time, you’ll notice that it virtually disappears because it blends in so well with your belly button.
Lower abdomen
In rare cases, you may also have a scar that runs from your belly button vertically down to the horizontal incision.
What is a scar?
Any mark or blemish that results from the skin healing over a wound is a scar. Normal scar formation usually follows these steps:
The first stage – closure
Whenever your skin is broken, as is the case with incisions made during your tummy tuck surgery, your body creates collagen fibres to fill it in and close it. This takes about three to four weeks.
The second stage – establishment
Collagen continually builds up at the wound site, protecting and strengthening the affected area. To support its formation, blood supply to the area increases. Both factors cause the new scar to become darker, thicker and prominent. This takes about three to six months.
The final stage – maturity
Once enough collagen has formed at the wound site, some of it breaks down and blood supply decreases. The scar becomes lighter, thinner, flatter and less palpable as well as visible. This process can take one to two years, at which point they are considered fully mature.
You should expect your scars to look darker, textured and generally worse before they get better. You may notice that they look particularly bad a couple of months after your surgery. Try not to feel discouraged because they will improve!
Irregular scars
Some patients worry about irregular scars. Irregular scarring can be hypertrophic or keloid, both resulting from an excess of collagen. Hypertrophic scars are those that are raised and redder than the unaffected skin surrounding it. Keloids are a severe type of hypertrophic scars, in which scar tissue forms beyond the original wound site–>
Minimize your scars with these 6 tips
Once you get a scar, it’s pretty much yours for life. Scarred skin will always look different from unscarred skin, in that it will be paler and have a smoother texture. It may also look stretched. There are things that you can do to make your scars less visible. But just remember, the purpose of anything you do is to minimize the appearance of the scar, not eliminate it.
1. Follow care instructions. Right after your surgery, start following the incision care instructions we give to you. Instructions on hygiene and wound care will help your incisions heal properly and faster.
2. Monitor for infection. If you suspect your incision is infected at any point, let us know immediately. Infected incisions can lead to more prominent scarring.
3. Start topical treatments at the right time. Once the incision is no longer covered by scabs (don’t pick at them!) and has totally closed, you can start with topical treatments. The easiest option is to apply a product containing silicone, in the form of a gel, cream or sheeting. Silicone replicates the occlusion properties of the stratum corneum (the out layer of the skin) so that the hydration of scar tissue is normalized and, possibly, excess collagen production is stopped. Several studies have proven that silicone is beneficial in scar care, including one published in Advances in Wound Care.
Other topical products you can use are vitamin E and cocoa butter creams, although these have not been scientifically proven to be effective. They probably more to keep the scar moisturized, rather than act as a treatment.
4. Keep your skin well moisturized. You can start applying moisturizers directly to your scars only after the incisions have closed. Doing so beforehand can prevent incisions from closing properly and increase your risk of infection.
5. Don’t suntan your scars. UV exposure can make your scars darker and thicker, so make sure you cover them up from the sun at all times. It’s better to do this with clothing rather than sunscreen.
6. Avoid irritating products and clothing. Any irritation of a scar will make it worse. Use only products that are gentle to your skin.
Can I put antibiotic ointment on my tummy tuck incision
Apply a thin layer of antibiotic ointment to incision for first three days only. Stop using the ointment after three days as it can irritate the skin or cause a reaction.
Days 1 – 5
- Apply a thin layer of antibiotic ointment to incision for first three days only. Stop using the ointment after three days as it can irritate the skin or cause a reaction.
- If you have a subcuticular skin closure or skin adhesive (dermabond), you do not need to apply ointment.
- If you had a keloid surgery and you are undergoing radiation, do not use ointment.
- It is ok to shower 24 hours after your surgery and is encouraged; Allow water to run over the incision and pad the area dry. Do not scrub or pick at the wound
- If steristrips or paper tape has been placed, keep them in place, if they appear moist or if there is drainage from the wound, please call the office or nurse practitioner
- Swelling and discoloration is expected and typically begins to subside at day three or four
Days 5 – 7
- Remove steristrips and tape on day 7 and reapply weekly for the first 4 weeks;
- Swelling and bruising should be resolved or nearly gone
Weeks 2 – 4
- Scar therapy – if wounds have healed; start scar massage, massaging scar cream into the incision in a circular motion two to three times daily;
- For best results, scar therapy should be continued for the first 6 – 8 weeks
- Scar cream can be purchased in our office and contains special ingredients including Vitamin C and E, and sunscreen
- Also recommend using a silicone- based product such as (Scar Away); aids in wound healing and optimizing scar appearance
- FOR SILICONE SHEETS
- Ensure wound is clean before applying and dry of any creams, lotions, or ointments
- Wear daily for 6-24 hours, remove once daily to allow site to be washed and dried
- If gel sheet becomes dirty or loses adhesiveness, wash gently with mild soap and water. Allow to air dry before reapplying
- FOR SILICONE SHEETS
- appointment with Dr. Nicholas Jones for follow-up care; Dr. Jones should see all patients within the first two weeks following surgery.
- If you had a facial procedure or neck procedure, your sutures need to be removed within 5-6 DAYS
- Avoidance of the sun when possible, and sunscreen to protect the surgical site from UVA/B; aids in preventing discoloration
- OK to gently cleanse wound (directly)
Weeks 4 – 6
- Critical period for wound remodeling
- No strenuous activity including sexual activity;
- Continue scar therapy
Months 6 – 12
- Follow-up appointment with Dr. Nicholas Jones to reassess healing and scars; during this time, wounds some times need to be revised
- Sunscreen with protection against UVA and UVB
V-Beam After Treatment Instructions (KELOID PATIENTS ONLY)
- You may apply ice, cold packs, or frozen peas to the treated area for 20 minutes each hour for 3-4 hours to avoid swelling
- You may apply polysporin antibiotic ointment twice daily should any area blister, do not use more than 4 days.
- A bruise usually occurs from this treatment and can last 10-14 days or more, depending on the setting of the laser.
