Surgical scars are extremely common. One study estimates that worldwide, 100 million people each year acquire a scar from surgical procedures. While it’s normal to worry about scars from surgery, chances are you know many people who have surgical scarring. Scar tissue often fades over time. There are also care steps, treatments and proven methods for how to reduce scar tissue after surgery.
Understanding How To Reduce Scar Tissue After Surgery
More factors affect surgical scars than you might think. Here are the reasons scars form and why surgical scarring becomes less noticeable over time.
The Biology of Scars
After a surgical incision, the body works rapidly to stabilize its new large wound. preventing infection and blood loss. Damaged tissues send chemical signals that trigger the release of collagen.
Collagen is a strong protein that provides structural support throughout the body. It is a key component in skin, which is why it’s associated with beauty treatments for wrinkles.
When a large wound begins to heal, a flood of collagen fills in the incision site to form a quick, strong bond. This bond is similar to a spot weld, holding the wound closed until the body can completely heal it. This extra collagen causes raised tissue that stands out from the surrounding skin. Blood flow to the area increases so that the skin can repair itself, and this extra blood causes a recent scar to swell.
The scar healing process can last from six months up to two years, depending on health factors and the size of the scar. Over time, the scar fades as blood flow returns to normal and some collagen integrates back into the skin. Excess collagen inside the wound remains as scar tissue.
Keloid Scars
Keloid scars occur when, due to genetic factors, the skin releases much more collagen than it needs to temporarily close a wound. This collagen builds up higher off the skin’s surface than a typical scar and can spread beyond the wound site. When considering how to reduce scar tissue after surgery, keep in mind that these scars might require different approaches.
Risk Factors for Surgical Scarring
Surgical scarring can vary widely between patients even when they undergo the same surgery. There are several risk factors associated with long-term surgical scarring.
Genetics
Each person’s genetics determine how much collagen the body releases to close a scar. Keloid scars most often occur in people with darker skin and a family history of keloid scars.
Age
The body produces less collagen with age, which is why skin becomes less taut and full over time. Surgical scars in older people are lighter and less noticeable because their body produces less collagen. Also, slacker skin causes collagen to build up more slowly inside a wound.
Scar Location
Whenever possible, a surgeon will make an incision on a natural skin fold to make a scar less noticeable. Endocrine surgery scars can sometimes fall along a natural fold in the neck. Surgeries known for increased scarring, such as back, knee, heart and shoulder surgeries, do not allow for scar placement on a skin fold.
Surgical Technique
The incision technique a surgeon uses has a small but sometimes noticeable effect on scarring. A study in the Chinese Journal of Traumatology found that robotic-assisted surgeries resulted in minimal scarring compared to traditional surgeries.
Best Practices for Reducing Scar Tissue at Home
Many effective approaches for how to reduce scar tissue after surgery involve wound care practices you can do at home. A healthy lifestyle has a huge effect on wound healing, similar to how overall health affects hair growth and nail growth. Here are a few healthy practices that can help a scar heal more quickly and less noticeably:
- Rest for the recommended period of time before returning to work, exercise and other activities.
- Cover your scar and apply sunscreen if you have to go outside.
- Stay hydrated and well-nourished with adequate protein and vitamin intake.
- Avoid smoking, as nicotine restricts blood flow and slows scar healing.
- Manage any chronic conditions, such as diabetes, carefully.
Follow any wound care steps recommended by your surgeon, including taping a wound shut or massaging a wound. Ask your surgeon about using silicone gel or strips that can hold a wound in place during healing.
Massage can increase blood flow and help a scar heal faster, but be careful not to put excess tension on the scar by pulling on the surrounding skin. Multiple studies found that topical treatments derived from onions may speed wound healing. Consistent effort and rest are both crucial to give surgical scars ample opportunity to heal well.
Treatments That Can Reduce Scar Tissue
If the natural healing process still leaves a noticeable scar, the next step in how to reduce scar tissue after surgery is medical intervention.
Laser Treatment
Laser treatment is a common and effective solution for scars that are noticeable but not raised far off the skin. Laser treatment is noninvasive and ranges in cost from about $1,000 to $5,000 depending on the number of treatments required and the size of the scar.
A laser can bore microscopic holes in the collagen-rich scar tissue. These holes are small enough that the body does not have to use collagen to stabilize them as it did with the original large incision. When the skin heals, it is natural and pliable skin again instead of shiny, stiff scar tissue.
Raised Scar Treatments
For keloid scars and raised scars, laser treatment is less effective. Instead, steroid injections can stop the body’s collagen response. Stronger injectable medicines and plastic surgery are the final options for excessive raised scarring, but these are not necessary for most people’s surgical scars.
Learn More About How To Reduce Scar Tissue After Surgery and Other Surgery Information
Medical advances have made modern surgery safer and more predictable than ever before. Many procedures can be performed noninvasively or with small incisions that minimize scarring. Our experienced surgeons at Arizona Premier Surgery can provide you with all of the information you need on how to reduce scar tissue after surgery. Contact us for a comprehensive consultation.
Sources:
https://www.verywellhealth.com/preventing-or-minimizing-scars-after-surgery-3156926
https://share.upmc.com/2017/11/minimize-surgical-scarring/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6487454/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34076625/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4055805/
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/scars/
https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2021/04/drug-enables-healing-without-scarring.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3423794/