What scar creams help reduce post op scars?

Hi all! I was wondering what you all do or have tried to help minimize scarring. I was thinking Mederma....

Any suggestions would be appreciated because scar cream is expensive!

Thanks in advance.

What scars? Did you have your surgery open? My port "holes" have all but disappeared alteady. One is definitely gone, one is in my belly button and two look like very fine little scratches that are fading quickly.

There are tons of scar treatments out there - im in the middle of thiat process with my plastic surgery scars, but they are all going to be expensive.

I did not treat my VSG incisions at all. By the time I hit a year, they were almost invisible. I think a lot of the scarring issues depends largely on how you heal in general - yes, treatments can help, but I dont think they are necessary. 

You can use creams/gels like Mederma, there are silicone strips that are good (but also expensive). You could probably just use a good lotion with Vite E and massage the scars and it would be good enough. 

I have to agree with the other ladies ... I am less than a month out and with the exception of 1 all my scars are almost completely gone ... they look like tiny tiny paper cuts! ... and the one larger one which is the one I am assuming they pulled my dissected stomach through looks like a scratch I'd get from my Chihuahua's claws so I imagine that too will be barely visible in anther month or two. 

But to answer your question or at least be helpful I find that that good ol coconut oil and scar massage does wonders with breaking down scar tissue and helping them become less visible. If you "Google" scar massage you will get a ton of techniques and success stories. Save your money! It doesn't have to be expensive you just have to be diligent on a daily routine.

Hope this helps some

 

I have 5 all on my stomach (no belly button). i am one month out and all but one are larger (about 2-3 cm) and red. they are slits but I have very ivory sensitive skin. I am concerned about the one that had my drain port hanging out of it for 10 days as well as the one he did the most work out of. Some are also healing in a jig jag fashion from the inside due to the inside dissolve stitches.

im sure everone heals differently so if you HAVE had to use scar gel/cream I would appreciate your opinion. thanks all!

 I scar. Just the way it is for me. I have scars from scratches I got as a kid. Get the picture?

I had 5 incisions, too. However, one was in my belly button, so that was not a big deal.Two of my incisions were pretty good size and right where my belly was most distended. I had no stitches, only tape and so neither of those incisions closed very well or to my liking. I think it was because there was a lot of pressure on those two incisions coming from my fat belly. Once they were closed,  I used Mederma on those two every day for months and months. It worked okay. Not great, but they are far less noticeable than I thought they were going to be, so I am pleased with the result. If, or I should say, when I have plastics I am going to ask the surgeon to repair those two scars.

Hope that helps at least a little. I would recommend giving Mederma a try. I think it really did help.

After my lower body lift and anchor cut....all of my VSG scars were cut off :)  I mean, I traded it for a 12" incision down the middle of my stomach, but hey...i got rid of 5 little ones. 

I'm still pre-op, but I have terrible trouble with scarring so I've done a lot of research on it already, and I've already bought supplies to help take care of the scars. From what I've found Dermefface FX7 and ScarAway Silicone Scar Treatment are two of the best. I've purchased both and plan to use them from the get go, along with paper tape. They also suggest silk tape which helps the scars lie flat, but if you've got sensitive skin (like mine) you'll probably want to go with the paper tape since it's hypoallergenic. Good luck!

thanks! I love this board! Also if you have had plastics (like acbbrown - BTW chica I would love to hear what you do end up using on your scars once you are healed up enough to try) I would love to know what you have used. I have done a little research but there is too many products on the market. I heard to stay away from creams and only use gels and/or strips. I heard mederma is good but I will pay more for something that is guaranteed to help better. I know they will never go "completely" away but I want to do anything to help because one day I would like to rock a bikini again.

I would take a picture of my red nasty little scars but I am sure you guys get the picture. I have old scars and they usually fade to white/light pink and become semi raised after a year or two. Like I said everyone heals differently. I wish I was one of the lucky ones who got one hole through the belly button and the rest healed up quick but alas I am not.

If you want an inexpensive alternative use 100% Pure Aloe Vera.  Trader Joe's sells it and I think I have even seen it at Target stores.  I wouldn't have thought about this but it was a recommendation from my foot surgeon when I had a bunionectomy.  During this process I had 2 in*****ision on top of my foot just before my big toe.  Obviously I didn't have two su*****isions with one which I treated and one which I didn't to make a comparison but the point is that this was a recommendation by my surgeon.  My best guess is that this really does help.  It seems like I have had other scars when I haven't done that and they are more visible.