The evolution of scars in plastic surgery

In plastic surgery, scars are unavoidable, but the surgeon will always do his utmost to hide them as much as possible by making his incisions in inconspicuous areas. For example, an axillary breast augmentation leaves no scars on the breast, or a facelift where the incision is made around the ear, or a closed rhinoplasty where the scars are in the nostrils.

However, in some procedures, such as abdominoplasty = tummy tuck or breast lift, scars are permanently visible. That's why it's important to know how scars evolve over time.
Healing is a process that can evolve over several months.

Normal evolution of a scar:

-Initially, just after the sutures have been removed, the scar is fine.
-Secondarily, after 4 to 6 weeks, the scar becomes reddish, indurated and pruritic ("itchy").
The duration of this stage of hyperplasia can vary from 4 to 8 months, depending on the location.
-Eventually, the scar begins to soften, whiten and flatten, taking on a definitive appearance after an average of one year.

A few tips for healing:

-Sun protection: A scar can tan, and the pigmentation acquired will then be permanent.
-Moisturize: A scar needs to be moisturized regularly with the healing cream prescribed by your surgeon.
-Massage: In the case of indurated scars, a deep massage helps to reduce the adhesions caused by the scar.
-Stop smoking: Cigarettes reduce microvascularization and have an adverse effect on wound healing.

What are the risk factors for hypertrophic or keloid scars?

-Wound location: Back, legs, décolleté, joint areas
Skin color: Black or mixed-race skin is naturally predisposed to developing hypertrophic or keloid scars more frequently.
-Age: During puberty, hypertrophic scars are more common.

In the event of abnormal scarring, contact your surgeon so that he or she can act quickly to treat hypertrophic scars more effectively.