Scar Healing and Treatment

Conveniently located to serve the areas of Lake Forest, Glenview and Grayslake, IL

FAQs

Will I have a scar after surgery?

Yes. Any injury to or incision on your skin will usually leave a scar. Although most scars improve over time, some scars may become more noticeable and cause discomfort. How your skin heals depends on many factors, including the location of the scar on your body, your age and the type of surgery.

What can I expect as my scar heals?

You may see many changes during the healing process:
• First 10 days: There will not be much change, except your stitches may come out.
• After 10 days: You may see some redness along your incision line. This is a normal part of healing. Your incision may look red for several months. It may also appear redder and raised before it improves.
• Next 1 to 2 years: Scars continue to improve. Most plastic surgeons will wait until this time before considering a scar revision (surgery to improve or reduce the appearance of a scar).

What can I do to help my scar heal?

Start these treatments 2 weeks after the removal of your stitches. Before then, you may continue to apply over-the-counter ointment, such as Aquaphor, twice daily as needed.
• Massage: Massage your scar for 5 minutes, 3 times a day, until it is soft and flat. It may take a few months to see results.
• Sunscreen: Try to keep your scar out of the sun. Apply sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher every day for the next 4 months.
• Silicone: 6 weeks after your surgery, you can use silicone gel, ointment, or sheets daily.