One of the most common questions patients ask me after plastic surgery is, “What can I do to make my scar look better?”
Whether you’re having a tummy tuck, breast lift, breast reduction, or another surgical procedure, it’s natural to be concerned about the scar that will remain afterward.
As a board-certified plastic surgeon with more than 20 years of experience, I consider scar management an important part of the surgical process. My goal isn’t simply to create the best possible result in the operating room. It’s also to help patients maintain and optimize that result throughout recovery.
While every surgical incision leaves a permanent scar, there are several steps you can take to help improve how your scar heals and ultimately appears.
Here is what I recommend my patients understand about surgical scar treatment.
Understand That Surgical Scars Change Over Time
One of the biggest misconceptions about surgical scars is that their appearance a few weeks after surgery represents their final appearance.
It doesn’t.
During the early healing process, scars are often pink, red, slightly raised, or firm to the touch. This is part of the body’s normal response to an incision.
Over time, the scar undergoes a process called scar maturation. Collagen reorganizes, inflammation gradually decreases, and the scar often becomes softer, flatter, and less noticeable.
Although improvements may become apparent within the first several months, surgical scars can continue to mature for 12–18 months or longer.
This is particularly important for patients undergoing procedures with longer incisions, such as a tummy tuck or breast lift.
I always remind my patients that patience is an essential part of scar management. A scar that looks prominent at six weeks may look very different a year later.
Proper Incision Care Comes Before Scar Treatment
Before thinking about scar creams, gels, or other products, your priority should be allowing the incision to heal properly.
During the initial postoperative period, follow your surgeon’s instructions regarding incision care, dressings, bathing, physical activity, and follow-up appointments.
Avoid unnecessary tension on the incision, and don’t pick at scabs or attempt to remove healing tissue.
Most importantly, do not apply silicone scar gel or cosmetic scar treatments to an open or incompletely healed incision.
In my practice, I often have patients begin scar treatment approximately two to three weeks after surgery, once the incision has fully closed and healed sufficiently. However, this varies depending on the operation, the patient, and how the incision is healing.
Your surgeon should determine when scar treatment is appropriate.
Consider Silicone Scar Gel for Healed Surgical Scars
Silicone is one of the most widely used options for improving the appearance of surgical scars.
Medical-grade silicone is available in sheets and topical gels. It helps maintain a favorable moisture environment over the healed scar and may improve scar thickness, texture, and redness when used consistently.
Silicone sheets can be useful, but they are sometimes difficult to keep in place, particularly in areas that move frequently or are covered by clothing.
For this reason, I often prefer a silicone gel that patients can apply directly to the healed scar.
Based on my experience treating postoperative scars, I developed FADE Silicone Scar Gel as part of my MSMD SkinTherapy skincare line.
FADE contains 100% medical-grade silicone and is designed to provide a convenient option for managing the appearance of healed surgical scars.
It’s important to understand that silicone scar gel does not erase a scar. Rather, consistent use may help improve its appearance as it matures.
For a more detailed explanation of scar healing and treatment, I’ve also written a complete guide to caring for scars after surgery.
Protect Your Surgical Scar From the Sun
Sun exposure is an often-overlooked factor in surgical scar appearance.
New scars can be particularly susceptible to changes in pigmentation. Ultraviolet exposure may contribute to prolonged discoloration, making scars more noticeable.
I recommend protecting healing scars from direct sunlight, especially during the first year after surgery.
When appropriate, this can include protective clothing and broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher once the incision has healed sufficiently for sunscreen application.
Sun protection is particularly important for scars in exposed areas, but even scars normally covered by clothing deserve attention during activities such as swimming or sunbathing.
Scar Thickness and Scar Discoloration Are Different Problems
Not all scar concerns are the same.
Some patients are primarily bothered by a scar that feels raised, thick, or firm. Others are more concerned about lingering redness or darker pigmentation.
These differences matter because scar texture and pigmentation may require different treatment approaches.
Silicone scar gel is commonly used to manage the physical characteristics of a scar, including thickness and texture.
Persistent pigmentation may require a different strategy, depending on the cause and the patient’s skin type.
For patients concerned about both scar appearance and unwanted discoloration, I developed a Scar Reducing Duo through MSMD SkinTherapy, combining FADE Silicone Scar Gel with BRIGHT Pigment-Lightening TouchStick.
These products address different aspects of scar appearance and should be used only when the incision is appropriately healed and the treatments are suitable for the individual patient.
Patients with persistent redness, darkening, or raised scars should discuss treatment options with their surgeon rather than assuming that every scar responds to the same product.
Be Consistent With Your Scar-Care Routine
One of the biggest mistakes patients make is expecting results from a scar treatment after only a week or two.
Scar maturation is a gradual biological process.
When I recommend silicone scar treatment, I generally encourage patients to use it consistently over several months. Depending on the scar and how it is progressing, treatment may continue for six to nine months or longer.
Consistency is generally more useful than frequently changing products or aggressively treating the scar.
Patients should also attend their postoperative appointments so their surgeon can identify unusual scar formation or delayed healing early.
Know When a Scar Needs More Than Topical Treatment
Although most surgical scars gradually improve, some develop excessive thickness, persistent redness, widening, or other concerns.
Hypertrophic scars remain within the boundaries of the original incision but may become raised and firm. Keloid scars extend beyond the original wound and can continue growing.
Depending on the problem, treatment options may include silicone therapy, steroid injections, laser treatment, or, in selected cases, surgical scar revision.
No single treatment is appropriate for every scar.
If your scar becomes increasingly painful, warm, swollen, or begins draining, contact your surgical team promptly. These findings may indicate a wound complication rather than normal scar maturation.
Frequently Asked Questions About Surgical Scar Treatment
How long does it take for a surgical scar to fade?
Surgical scars often improve gradually over 12–18 months, and some continue changing beyond that time. The final appearance depends on the procedure, incision location, skin characteristics, wound healing, and individual scar formation.
When can I start using silicone scar gel after surgery?
Only after the incision has fully closed and healed sufficiently. In my practice, this is often approximately two to three weeks after surgery, but your surgeon should determine the appropriate timing.
Does silicone scar gel really work?
Silicone gel is a commonly recommended, evidence-supported option for scar management. It may help improve the appearance of healed scars, particularly their thickness, texture, and redness. Results vary, and no topical product can eliminate a scar completely.
What is the best treatment for tummy tuck scars?
The most appropriate approach generally combines proper incision care, minimizing unnecessary tension, sun protection, and consistent scar management once healing is complete. Silicone scar gel may be useful, but raised or abnormal scars sometimes require additional treatment.
Can old surgical scars still improve?
Some mature scars may respond to treatment, but the available options depend on the scar’s age, thickness, color, and location. Older scars may require treatments beyond topical silicone, such as laser therapy or scar revision.
Book your Consultation
A successful plastic surgery result involves more than the procedure itself. Recovery and scar management also play important roles.
My advice is straightforward: allow your incision to heal properly, follow your surgeon’s recommendations, protect your scar from sun exposure, consider silicone-based scar management when appropriate, and be patient.
No scar treatment can guarantee an invisible scar, but thoughtful postoperative care can help optimize its appearance.
For patients interested in learning more, I’ve created a detailed educational resource on how to care for surgical scars after surgery.
You can also learn about FADE Silicone Scar Gel, which I developed for patients seeking a convenient, medical-grade silicone option for healed surgical scars.
Call 212-289-1851 or visit our contact page and send us an email. We will get right back to you.
