Tummy Tuck Scar On Dark Skin
A year after surgery, scars are typically well-healed and has lightened in color. Patients with darker skin tone typically end up with darker scars. It’s not uncommon for some scars to take up to two years to lighten. In five years, a tummy tuck scar is almost always unnoticeable.
On the other hand, a mini tummy tuck scar is noticeably shorter than a full tummy tuck. However, keep in mind that the degree of improvement from a mini tummy tuck will not be as apparent in contrast to a full tummy tuck. read more on best silicone gel for tummy tuck scars and tummy tuck scar removal laser.
Tummy Tuck Scar On Dark Skin
For patients who are considering a tummy tuck, scarring is almost always a pressing concern. At our San Francisco practice, we understand where you’re coming from. You’re not the first person to feel reluctant about a tummy tuck because of the possibility of scarring. The good news is scarring from a tummy tuck can be visibly reduced. As long as you take steps to reduce visible scarring, you don’t have to worry too much about it.
In this article, you’ll learn what tummy tuck scars really look like and the steps you can take to make them appear barely noticeable even if you’re wearing a bikini.
What Do Tummy Tuck Scars Really Look Like?
First off, a good tummy tuck candidate should be comfortable with the idea of scarring after surgery. But what kind of scarring really?
By and large, the degree of scarring depends on the type of tummy tuck surgery you’re considering.
For instance, a full tummy tuck scar will run along the bikini line from hip to hip. The scar often flattens and fades with time, but the extent as to how it flattens and fades is really up to Mother Nature. Some patients heal with very fine scars, while others tend to develop thicker heavy scars. Most of the time, it’s somewhere in between.
On the other hand, a mini tummy tuck scar is noticeably shorter than a full tummy tuck. However, keep in mind that the degree of improvement from a mini tummy tuck will not be as apparent in contrast to a full tummy tuck.
Other noteworthy factors that impact tummy tuck scarring include your skin tone, skin quality, and the tummy tuck surgeon of your choice.
In hindsight, scars vary depending on one’s genetic tendency to scar. Most patients have a scar that is somewhat visible when naked. Others have thicker scars that are very visible, while others have faint scars that are nearly invisible.
Tummy Tuck Scarring – Years Later
A year after surgery, scars are typically well-healed and has lightened in color. Patients with darker skin tone typically end up with darker scars. It’s not uncommon for some scars to take up to two years to lighten. In five years, a tummy tuck scar is almost always unnoticeable. It’s also worth noting that careful evaluation of the location of a tummy tuck incision can help conceal darker colored scars when sporting your two-piece swimwear.
Dr. Fan’s Tips on Healing and Minimizing Tummy Tuck Scarring
While a “scarless” tummy tuck isn’t possible, the following tips can help you towards gaining a flatter, sexier stomach without worrying about the appearance of an unsightly scar.
1. Find an expert tummy tuck surgeon who is adept in minimizing scarring.
The surgeon of your choice should be able to make incisions that will conceal scarring as much as possible when you’re wearing bikinis. Carefully review the surgeon’s before-and-after photographs of previous tummy tuck patients demonstrating wonderful outcomes.
2. Follow hygiene and wound care instructions on how to care for your incisions.
Avoid infection on the incision site at all costs as infected incisions can lead to further scarring.
3. Avoid sun exposure as much as possible because UV radiation can make your scars appear darker and thicker.
Cover up with clothing and apply sunscreen when you have to be outdoors.
4. Use an advanced scar management program after surgery under the supervision of your plastic surgeon.
This program might include treatments such as paper tapes and silicone scar therapies. You might also want to embrace advanced scar therapy and/or laser treatments too.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
To find a tummy tuck surgeon who is not only board-certified but has also spent years mastering the science and art of minimizing tummy tuck scarring, it pays to ask the right questions when evaluating a tummy tuck surgeon.
Tummy Tuck Scar Removal Laser
Throughout a woman’s life, she will encounter times when she wants to seek cosmetic help. The end of childbearing is one of those times, and dealing with the physical effects of hormonal changes is another. One thing is for sure: If you trust aesthetic medicine to turn back the clock on your appearance, you want to enjoy the benefits of a job well done. Abdominoplasty is a body enhancement procedure more widely known as a tummy tuck. The goal of this surgery is to improve the structure of the abdominal wall and remove any excess skin or stubborn fat. A tummy tuck creates a tighter, smoother abdomen and a striking figure. But what about any scarring after surgery? Is it possible to improve that? Is laser scar removal tummy tuck the solution?
What is a Tummy Tuck?
First things first: What is a tummy tuck, and what are the reasons why you might get one?
The tummy tuck is one of the most commonly performed plastic surgeries in the country. Basically, it’s a way to eliminate all the stubborn fat and flab that’s situated around your belly, and particularly the extra skin that doesn’t seem to respond to diet and exercise.
During a tummy tuck, your plastic surgeon will remove excess fat and tissue, resulting in a more contoured and shapely appearance. Additionally, the surgeon will repair abdominal muscles that have become weakened or separated. (This is especially helpful for moms, whose abdominal walls are often significantly weakened during pregnancy.) The result is a much flatter, firmer, more aesthetically-pleasing tummy area.
Note that, in some cases, a tummy tuck is combined with liposuction to maximize results, though this is not always necessary. It really just depends on your body and on your aesthetic goals.
What Kind of Scarring Can You Expect from a Tummy Tuck?
There are obviously a lot of benefits to getting a tummy tuck, but there can also be some potential drawbacks. One of the most common concerns is the presence of scarring.
Unfortunately, scarring is inevitable in any type of surgery. That’s certainly true of the tummy tuck, which requires your surgeon to make surgical incisions at the treatment site. The amount of scarring that may occur depends on a few different factors, but ideally, here’s what you should anticipate:
- For the first month of your recovery, you will probably have a prominent scar, which may be red or brown in color, and can sometimes feel slightly raised or bumpy.
- Within the first two months, the incision site should be fully healed. However, you will probably still have some long, red or purple scars. They will heal more and more for a few months, but in the meantime, don’t be surprised if they are a bit puffy in their appearance.
- By the six-month mark, you should notice your scars losing their pigmentation, which means they will become increasingly faded. You may still be able to see some scarring, especially if you look closely, but these scars should be much less obvious.
As for the location of your tummy tuck scar, it will usually be located in your lower abdominal area, situated above your pubis but below the belly button. Most of the time, scars will run horizontally; depending on the type of tummy tuck you choose, you may also have a small vertical scar. Ask your plastic surgeon for additional information about the options available, and the scarring you can expect from each.
Other factors that can impact the visibility of your scarring include genetics, your skin type/melanin, and your own healing capabilities.
Many patients find that their tummy tuck scar is easy to hide underneath their swimsuit bottom or their underwear, though this can vary from patient to patient and some may seek laser scar removal tummy tuck.
Minimizing Your Tummy Tuck Scarring & Laser Scar Removal Tummy Tuck
With all of that said, what are some of the factors that determine the extent of your scarring?
The best way to assure minimal scarring is to choose a surgeon who is not only experienced but also certified. Board-certified plastic surgeons have received the highest levels of training and must adhere to the most stringent ethical standards. They also must remain on the cutting edge of surgical techniques and technology to ensure the best results. Reducing the risk of scarring is vital in cosmetic surgery.
All our surgeons are board-certified. They offer the most advanced health care in aesthetic medicine and deliver fantastic results. Ensuring limited scarring after surgery is only a fraction of what sets them apart from most surgeons in Charlotte, Huntersville, and the entire East Coast.
Laser Treatments for Surgical Scarring: Laser Scar Removal Tummy Tuck
By focusing light therapy on scars to stimulate new skin cell production, our selection of laser treatments can enhance your tummy tuck results and laser scar removal tummy tuck. Patients love them because they are quick, convenient, and highly effective. Although they will not wholly erase scars, they will reduce them enough to make them nearly invisible.
Your body will begin repairing the incision wound after surgery. The scars that remain are a permanent testament to the healing process. Laser treatments remove the outer, damaged layer of skin, smoothing it over to improve both tone and texture. Though it may take multiple sessions, laser therapy can be one of the most effective ways to minimize the visibility of scarring, including tummy tuck scars.
Best Silicone Gel For Tummy Tuck Scars
A tummy tuck scar forms in the areas where your skin heals after tummy tuck surgery. A tummy tuck (abdominoplasty) removes excess skin and fat from your belly. The scar is usually thin. It may be raised, recessed, slightly pink or lighter than the surrounding skin.
Are there different types of tummy tuck scars?
The size and location of tummy tuck scars vary depending on what type of tummy tuck you have. Your surgeon will likely use special glue, tape or bandages on your incision. These surgical dressings can reduce scarring by holding the skin of the incision together and keeping it moist.
The different types of tummy tuck scars may include:
- Full tummy tuck: The scar for a standard tummy tuck usually spans your abdomen, from hip bone to hip bone, just above your pubic area. You may also have a scar around your belly button.
- Mini tummy tuck: A mini tummy tuck is for people who have a small amount of excess fat and tissue beneath their belly button. The scar is shorter than a full tummy tuck scar. It’s about the length of a C-section scar (between 3 inches and 6 inches).
- Fleur-de-lis tummy tuck: This scar spans your abdomen. A second vertical scar runs from your lower breastbone to your pubic bone. A fleur-de-lis tummy tuck is usually for people with a large amount of excess skin due to major weight loss or multiple pregnancies.
Can you prevent a tummy tuck scar?
You can’t completely prevent a tummy tuck scar. But you can take steps to help the incision heal after surgery, which may reduce the appearance of the scar:
- Avoid corticosteroids: If you take corticosteroids, talk to your healthcare provider about stopping the medication before surgery. Some corticosteroids can slow wound healing.
- Manage chronic diseases: Some conditions, such as diabetes, can complicate wound healing. Talk to your healthcare provider before your tummy tuck about how to manage health conditions before, during and after the procedure.
- Stop smoking: Quitting smoking several months before your procedure can help your surgical wound heal.
- Take vitamin A: Your provider may recommend vitamin A supplements in the weeks and months leading up to surgery. Vitamin A can help speed wound healing. Please check with your surgeon prior to starting vitamin A as it may interfere with a medication you’re currently taking.
How to reduce tummy tuck scars.
PROCEDURE DETAILS
How can I minimize scarring as my tummy tuck incisions heal?
There’s a variety of ways that you can help your incision heal after a tummy tuck, which can reduce the appearance of scars. Follow your provider’s instructions carefully about caring for and cleaning your wound. Avoid heavy lifting, strenuous exercise, sexual activity and stretching until your provider says it’s safe to do these activities (usually four to eight weeks after the procedure).
Your provider might recommend some topical treatments that you apply directly to the wound:
- Antibiotic ointment.
- Cocoa butter.
- Petroleum jelly.
- Scar cream.
- Silicone gel sheets.
- Vitamin D.
- Vitamin E.
About 2 to 3 weeks after your surgery, you may consider scar massage. Gently massaging the scar and the surrounding skin can increase blood flow to the area and help with the healing process. Massage can also break up some of the tougher scar tissue. Talk to your healthcare provider before trying scar massage.
It’s extremely important to stay out of the sun as your wound heals. Ultraviolet radiation can make your scar discolored or change its texture, making it thicker. For 12 to 18 months after your tummy tuck, wear sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of 30 if you have to be in the sun.
Getting proper nutrition is also an important part of wound healing. Talk to your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian about the best way to get all the vitamins and minerals you need. They may recommend taking a daily multivitamin or other supplements as you heal.
Can steroid injections treat a tummy tuck scar?
Steroid injections may help reduce the appearance of a thick, raised or red tummy tuck scar. Most providers reserve these injections for abnormal scarring, but providers may give steroid injections at the time of surgery or a few weeks following surgery to reduce inflammation. Others may wait a few weeks until a scar forms.
Can laser skin resurfacing treatments treat a tummy tuck scar?
Laser skin resurfacing may reduce the appearance of a tummy tuck scar. This is another treatment usually reserved for abnormal scaring. Lasers use light or heat to stimulate the growth of new skin cells. Laser treatments may also:
- Decrease the scar’s tightness, so you have more skin movement.
- Prevent the development of a raised scar.
- Reduce itchiness, pain and irritation around your scar.
Can scar revision surgery treat a tummy tuck scar?
Some tummy tuck scars, such as hypertrophic or keloid scars, may need surgical treatment. During scar revision, a surgeon cuts the scar out of your skin and then closes the wound with stitches. Most people need to wait 12 to 18 months after their tummy tuck for scar revision surgery. This is a time when the scar is about as good as it is going to get and the skin has had a chance to further relax and take tension off of the scar.