Healing abdominoplasty scars will involve some patience, good wound care and supporting your body’s overall healing process.
After an abdominoplasty, your body is working hard to heal – especially around the incision site, where a scar will naturally form as part of the healing process. While scars are normal after surgery, how they develop and mature will depend on individual factors and how well you care for the incision sites.
In this blog, we’ll give you some tips on healing abdominoplasty scars and discuss what you can expect in terms of their appearance.
How will my abdominoplasty scars look?
The size and location of your scar depend on the type of abdominoplasty you’ve had.
Typically, the incision is placed low on the abdomen, which means scarring can often be concealed beneath underwear or swimwear. Initially, the scar may appear red or raised but should fade and flatten with time and good wound care.
Essentially, the extent to which your scars will fade depends on factors like genetics, skin type, and how carefully you follow your surgeon’s aftercare advice.
When you have your consultation with your surgeon, they can show you where your incisions will be placed, so that you’ll know exactly where the scarring will be.
1. Keep your incision site clean, dry and free of infection
The process of sufficiently healing abdominoplasty scars actually begins straight after your procedure, while your incision sites are healing.
Generally, during the first few weeks after surgery, keeping your incision clean and dry is one of the most basic but essential steps. Carefully caring for the incision site will help to prevent infection, which can delay healing and affect the final appearance of the scar.
While it’s important to keep your incision sites clean, you may be instructed to avoid submerging the area in water, such as pools, as this can affect wound healing negatively.
While your incision heals, it can begin to feel a little itchy, but try not to itch the area as it can cause further irritation. If the area becomes itchier, red, warm and inflamed, it could be a sign of infection, and it’s important to get this treated as soon as possible.
2. Avoid putting your incision sites under tension
Preventing excessive pressure or tension on the incision site is one way to help it heal well.
As you heal, it can be helpful to avoid activities like heavy lifting, stretching, and strenuous exercise so that the skin around the incision site is free of stress. It can also be a good idea to avoid wearing overly tight clothing around the incision site, as this can also apply too much pressure to the area and cause irritation.
Instead, we recommend taking it easy, getting plenty of rest and sticking to regular gentle walks until you heal. Dr Craig recommends patients wear micropore tape over incisions until their 8 week review to help reduce the tension on the skin whilst the scars are healing.
3. Protect your incision site from sun exposure
Over time, sun exposure can darken scars and make them more noticeable. This can especially occur in the first year after your surgery, as healing skin can be much more sensitive to UV rays.
As your skin heals, we recommend covering the area with clothing and avoiding prolonged exposure to the sun. Once the incision has completely healed and the wound is closed, you can avoid the darkening of your scar by applying a high-SPF sunscreen.
There’s a misconception that excessive sun exposure is only harmful when it’s noticeably sunny. However, even when it’s quite cloudy, excessive exposure to UV rays can still occur. This is why we recommend protecting the area even on overcast days if you’ll be outside for extended periods of time.
4. Take care of your overall health to support incision healing
While careful incision care is highly important, your overall health can also influence how well your body heals in general.
Staying hydrated, following a healthy diet and avoiding smoking can all contribute to better wound healing. Smoking, in particular, can restrict blood flow to the skin, slowing down the healing process and increasing the risk of complications.
Getting plenty of rest will also help, as your body will need more energy than usual to heal after an abdominoplasty procedure.
5. Try scar treatments once your incision has healed
Sometimes, even with careful incision care, the body may naturally heal in a way that could leave a more noticeable scar. If this does happen, once your incision has fully healed and your surgeon advises that it’s okay, you may want to consider the option of using additional scar treatment methods.
Silicone sheets or gels are often recommended, as they can help keep the scar hydrated and reduce redness and thickness. These can simply be worn at home, only when the incision has completely healed.
Another at-home treatment method is to gently massage the scar tissue with coconut oil, which can help boost circulation and encourage scar tissue to break down. This step should only be taken once the incision has completely healed at 8 weeks post op, as performing scar massages too early can actually impair healing.
If your abdominoplasty scars are still quite prominent after a significant amount of time has passed, you may then want to consider treatments such as laser scar treatments or microneedling. These treatments can target scar tissue and prompt the skin’s healing response in the area. However, you should always seek your surgeon’s advice before considering additional treatments.
6. Seek medical advice if you have any concerns
As we mentioned earlier, some wound healing complications, such as infection, can impact how scars form.
Therefore, it’s important to act on any concerns you may have early, so that any possible complications can be treated promptly and further wound healing issues can be prevented.
If you are concerned about excessive itching, pain or discomfort, swelling or warmth, increased redness, or discharge from the incision site, you should contact your surgeon’s team or your GP.
Even if you just need clarification or further advice on wound care during your recovery, you should feel welcome to contact your surgeon’s team. Recovery steps after an extensive, personalised surgery are often not one-site-fits-all, so needing extra advice that is focused on your individual needs is normal.
This is just one of the reasons why it’s important to be mindful about your choice of surgeon and surgical team. Selecting an experienced and qualified surgeon with a helpful team can make your abdominoplasty experience feel more supportive, as well as provide you with more patient-centred care.
Dr Craig Rubinstein: Experienced Melbourne Specialist Plastic Surgeon
Based in Melbourne, Coco Ruby Plastic Surgery has a carefully selected team of Specialist Plastic Surgeons with experience in both plastic and cosmetic surgery.
To become a Specialist Plastic Surgeon, extensive training is required, where surgeons will refine their skills and learn advanced surgical techniques.
Led by breast and abdominoplasty surgeon Dr Craig Rubinstein, the surgeons who operate at Coco Ruby have taught in medical schools and contributed to research, industry advancements, training conferences, and medical book chapters and articles.
With decades of experience, the independent surgeons at Coco Ruby work together to provide high-quality care for various procedures, including abdominoplasty
To arrange your consultation for an abdominoplasty procedure and discuss scar care, please contact our team.