Surviving surgery is one of the bravest things you can do. However, going back into the world can be challenging, especially when you still have the battle scars to show for it. Today, we're here to make the transition back into civilization a lot easier. We're here to give you the best scar treatment after surgery to make you feel whole again.
We believe that you are just as a whole with or without your scars. However, being able to have the option of removing the scars can make you feel good and confident enough to face the world. Most scar creams contain ingredients that target any scar tissue on your skin. This means that they can restore the natural look and feel of your skin.
The choice in scar creams is determined by several factors, such as how your skin reacts to the cream, the type of scar you have, and the ingredients of the cream.
What Are Scar Treatments?
Scar treatments include scar creams, silicone sheets, oils for scars, and more to help return your skin to normal by targeting scar tissue. Most scar creams and other treatments target the darkened areas and help promote cellular turnover.
This helps the discoloration and hyperpigmentation to fade and clear. After a few months, you'll notice that your skin returns to normal. Your skin texture will also return to normal, and your skin tone will be even again. In addition, scar creams and treatments reduce scar tissue and other symptoms of scars such as redness and irritation.
Now that you know how the best scar treatment after surgery works let's look at the best in the market.
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Our Pick
Best Scar Treatments
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What are the Best Scar Treatments?
This treatment is known for its ability to clear acne scars, surgery scars, stretch marks, and more. Bio-Oil improves the appearance of new scars and old scars. In addition, the Vitamin E in this postsurgical scar management improves your skin tone and skin texture of the old scars, new scars, and the surrounding skin.
This Vitamin E also increases the moisture content of your skin. Other ingredients like Rosemary oil and Lavender oil help heal any injured skin by acting as a mild antiseptic. This oil works great on old and new scars and improves acne scars and stretch marks. Clinically proven to work great, this over-the-counter treatment is non-comedogenic and works great on your face.
This effective treatment for surgical scars contains many ingredients that help with treatment. Another great thing about this scar-removal oil is that it works great on all skin types. Just like the best scar creams, this oil works on all tones, textures, and skin types. Because it's non-greasy, it works great to lock in essential moisture without clogging your pores.
Some directions while applying this scar massage treatment is that you should massage it into your skin in a gentle and circular motion twice a day for a minimum of 3 months. After that, avoid using it on broken skin to prevent even more scarring and infections.
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Our second pick is this 2. Cicatricure Face & Body Scar Gel is filled with ingredients that will improve the texture and appearance of scars. In addition to helping with your old scars and new scars, this scar gel also hydrates and softens your skin. You'll get rejuvenated skin that's healthier-looking and scar-free.
This skin gel helps with hypertrophic and keloid scars, acne scars, burn scars, scars from surgeries, and more. In addition to reducing the appearance of keloid & hypertrophic scars, this scar gel protects your skin from harmful UV rays. As a result, you'll get an even skin tone and a bright shine to your skin.
Other products from this product line include brightening creams, anti-wrinkle day & night creams, sunscreens, scar gels, and micellar water cleansers. This brand cares about your skin and ensures that you'll be able to have amazing skin after you get scar-free skin.
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The Vitamin E Oil for scars is made from 100% pure and natural Vitamin E oil, also known as d-alpha-tocopherol. This oil is sourced from non-GMO organic olives and is extracted using a unique distillation process. Unlike other Vitamin E oils sourced from sunflowers, this one is sourced from olives.
This means that you get the best Natural Vitamin E Oil for your scar treatments. This oil is almost clear in color, absorbs faster, less sticky, and is more bioavailable. So no matter how the appearance of scars looks on your skin, you can be confident that this oil will help deal with that. This oil also helps with collagen production and helps give you healthy skin.
If you have other skin problems like fine lines, wrinkles, stretch marks, acne, dark spots, and sunspots, you can use this oil to improve that. Natural Vitamin E oil (d-alpha-tocopherol) is fast-acting. Therefore, you won't wait to see results for a long time. You will notice that the appearance of scars will start fading fast.
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This best scar treatment after surgery reduces itching, redness, and other discomfort associated with scars. Like the best scar creams, this silicone treatment saves you from getting surgical scar removal procedures because of its effectiveness. This treatment is one of the best and is recommended by dermatologists and plastic surgeons.
This treatment is better than the Mederma Advanced scar gel, which is known for its effectiveness. It also helps with burn scars, acne scars, scars from injuries, and more. In addition, this treatment works within weeks with the ability to soften old and new scars.
It works on the texture and appearance of your scars and returns your skin back to normal. You can wait to see results within 4 to 8 weeks. These scar sheets are comfortable to use because they are made from breathable ultra-thin fabric that'll make you forget that you have them on. In addition, this is a clinically supported treatment. Therefore, you won't have to worry about safety.
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Although scar cream is the most popular when treating scars, these other options we've looked at today also work great. This specific silicone scar removal sheet helps with several types of scars, including postoperative scars, burn scars, c-section, stretch marks, and more.
These sheets are made of premium medical-grade silicone material that reduces raised areas and scar sizes within 6 weeks for new scars and 4 months for old scars. In addition, the silicone in these sheets helps reduce the texture and colors of your scars. As a result, your skin will now look and feel soft and smooth within no time.
These scar sheets are also lightweight, breathable, and easy to remove. You can comfortably wear them for 24 hours without feeling weird or uncomfortable. In addition, these medical-grade silicone sheets don't leave any residue behind, and you can use them during the day or at night as you wish.
The brand's customer service is always available to answer any questions you may have concerning this treatment. These protective sheets work on older scars and newer scars.
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What Should You Consider When Buying the Best Scar Treatments?
1. Ingredients
The ingredients in the best scar treatment after surgery you choose are important to consider. You can also consider if you only want natural ingredients or you're okay with other synthetic ingredients. The type of scar you have can also determine the ingredients you prioritize.
Medical-grade ingredients come in handy when you're dealing with heavy-duty surgical scars or heavy-degree burns. Unfortunately, these types of treatment are also fast-acting. Please avoid using these treatments if you have some open wounds, such as our fourth and fifth picks.
You can also choose treatments that have moisturizing ingredients in them if you have dry skin. For example, a popular ingredient in scar treatments is silicone which ensures that the scarred skin is kept hydrated. Why is hydration important? Because it promotes cell growth and cell turnover. Silicone also reduces the thickness of your scars and reduces other symptoms related to scars, such as redness and itchiness.
Vitamin E is another popular ingredient that eliminates the appearance of your scars.
2. Allergic Reactions
Even the best scar creams can make you have an adverse reaction if you are allergic to one of the ingredients. However, when it comes to the common ingredients we've mentioned above, it's hard to get an allergic reaction to silicone.
This is why silicone gel and silicone sheets are great options for dealing with scars and scar formation. However, before you settle on the scar cream or treatment you want, ensure that you aren't allergic to any ingredients before purchasing the treatment or scar cream you want.
3. Position of the Scar
Before settling on the best scar creams and treatments, ensure that it works on the targeted anatomy. For example, if the scar is on your face, ensure that the scar cream or treatment is good for sensitive skin.
Getting a scar cream that shows that it's suitable for sensitive skin will enable you to apply this scar cream to your face comfortably. Nonetheless, any scar cream or treatment can work on a scar on any position of your skin.
4. Cost Per Treatment
We mentioned earlier that it can take months before you see any results. Therefore, keep this in mind as you choose the best scar treatment after surgery. You can consider the price, duration of application, and amount per purchase before you settle on the best option.
It can be frustrating to see zero results while you continue moving down the bottle and even getting another. Therefore, before choosing an expensive scar cream or treatment, ensure that you can afford more than one or two purchases.
The scar creams and treatments that give you faster results can be more expensive than those that take time to work. Therefore, when choosing the right treatment, take time to reflect on these factors.
5. Warranty
Before settling on the treatment you want, check the return policy and guarantee that comes with it. This will allow you to make a better and informed decision should you change your mind. Getting one with a 100% money-back guarantee can be a great idea.
However, it doesn't have to be effective. If you choose a scar cream or treatment with homeopathic ingredients, ensure that it has a warranty that exceeds 6 months.
How Do You Use Scar Creams?
Here are some good steps and tips to follow when using creams to heal your surgery scars.
1. Follow Instructions
The first and arguably most crucail step before you start to use your scar creams and other scar treatments is to go through the instructions on the package. This will give you the information you need, such as the number of times to apply the treatment and when.
For example, some scar treatments are meant to be used once a day. Therefore, even if you choose to use them more than once a day, your scar won't heal faster. Therefore, to avoid wasting your treatment, check the instructions first.
2. Clean the Area
Before using the cream or silicone gel sheeting, you must ensure that the affected region is clean enough to receive the treatment. Wash the skin area and dry it using a clean cloth before applying the surgery scars treatment.
Cleaning the area is especially important if you're using silicone sheets.
3. Use in Conjunction With Other Treatments
Consult your doctor or dermatologist before settling on the scars treatment that catches your fancy. Once you settle on the best scar treatment after surgery, combine it with other ancillary treatments. Some of these include wearing compression garments and getting skin massages.
4. Wait Till Wound-Healing is Complete
Don't use your scar management treatment too soon. And never use the treatment before the wound has fully healed. Treating scars requires patience and consistency. Therefore, applying the treatment before the wound healing process could result in even more damage and skin scarring.
Therefore, ensure that you treat scars after the wound has completely healed.
5. Practice Patience and Persistence
The appearance of scars won't go away overnight. You have to be patient and use the topical treatments right and for the stipulated amount of time. You may have to wait for 2-6 months before seeing significant results for most scar management procedures.
As tempting as you may be to stop the scar management treatment after a few weeks of not seeing results, keep going. You will thank yourself later for staying consistent and patient during your healing journey.
What Are Alternative Scar Treatments?
1. Laser Scar Removal
If you have scars from your surgery that you want gone immediately, or you want a faster and more permanent solution, laser scar removal is a good option. Laser removal is a great non-invasive procedure that can offer you a lasting solution.
Dermatologists who practice this procedure use intense light to target your scars and reduce their size, shape, and color. Different types of laser treatments work on different types of scars. Your dermatologist will advise you on which is best.
2. Surgical Procedure
Unlike our previous option, this is the most invasive type of procedure. However, we know that you may want to go this route, especially when you have a significant scar. If your doctor or surgeon agrees to this procedure, you can opt for it.
This procedure will make your scar less visible. The surgeon can reduce the size of your scar, especially when it covers a wide part.
3. Chemical Peels
With this procedure, your doctor or dermatologist places a chemical solution on the scar. Once some time has passed and the peel is safely removed, the layer of skin with the scar lifts away, and you're left with a smooth layer of skin.
Note that these treatments are suitable for surface-level scars. Ensure that you get your skilled dermatologist to work on it.
4. Injections
If you have a large scar and want to reduce its size significantly, this is a good option. However, this is an invasive option, and steroid injections can make the scar shrink to the size of your skin. Some examples of this option include derma fillers or collagen fillers.
5. Dermabrasion
This scar removal option involves using a machine to smooth away the top layer of the scarred skin. If you have a raised scar, this is a great option.
What Are the Types of Scars?
1. Fine-Line Scars
These normal fine-line scars are often characterized by a slightly raised line that continues to flatten and fade with scar cream and treatment. After the wound healing process is over, you can now start working on the scar.
Avoid using a scar cream or treatment before the wound healing process is over. The process of your scar healing can take up to two years. Therefore, ensure that you stay consistent with applying your scar cream or silicone gel despite not seeing results.
You may be left with a small and visible line or mark once the treatment is over. These scars are often itchy but not painful.
2. Keloid Scars
When the collagen production is too high, a keloid scar is formed. Keloid scars are produced at the site of your wound. Keloid scar formation continues after your wound healing is complete. These scars are pink, red, or dark and are often raised above the rest of the skin.
These scars are also painful, itchy, and can restrict movement if tight or near the joint.
3. Hypertrophic Scars
These scars are also the result of excess collagen production. However, these scars don't extend beyond the boundary of your wound. If you don't treat a hypertrophic scar, it can thicken for 6 months or more.
4. Sunken or Pitted Scars
These are rarely surgical scars and are caused by other skin conditions like chickenpox and acne. Numerous treatments exist for scars and our options above work for scars from surgery and other skin conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions About Scar Creams
1. What are the limitations of scar screams?
The greatest limitation for scar creams is that no one treatment universally works for all types of scars. Therefore, you may have to use several different scar treatments or do more research to get the right scars treatment for your type of scar.
Another limitation is that it may take several months of constantly applying the best scar treatment after surgery before you start to see any results. Therefore, consistency and patience are required, especially if your scar is deep.
2. How are scars formed?
Your injured skin produces collagen as it strives to repair itself. When your skin starts to heal, some discolored areas and thickness begin to form. When the skin has healed, you're left with a darkened part which is called the scar.
The darkness of the scar depends on the degree of trauma. Why? If the trauma to your skin is greater, the darker the scar will be.