Best product to put on donor scar to help it heal?

[HairIsThere]

Does anybody have some good products you used or are using on your donor scar to help it heal? I've heard of some aloe and maybe some Vitamin E?

[Bill - Seemiller]

HairIsThere,

 

Vitamin E and Aloe are both excellent choices. Mederma is supposed to help reduce the appearance of the scar also - but I'm not really convinced it helps. I used it after my first two procedures, but it didn't appear to make much difference.

 

The best healer however, is time.

 

Best wishes,

 

Bill

[DDD03]

How long should you wait to start putting Vitamin E on the scar?

 

Thanks!

[stilldeciding]

When researching scar healing, many sites stated that Vitamin E did not work on scars, and sometimes made them worse. I tried it for a month but stopped, so I can't say anything from personal experience, but definitely research anything you apply to heal scarring, and let us know what you find.

 

A lot of ingredients used in hair loss treatments are used in aiding scarring, msm, folligen, emu oil, dermaroller etc all supposedly suppose to help scars as well as hair loss.

[DDD03]

Thanks for the info. Had my procedure with Feller and definately didn't get any post-op instructions about putting anything on the scar.

 

Think I am probably going to just let it run its course. Praying my scar comes out decent. Can't imagine Vit E, etc. can do anthing about tension and stretching. Couldn't really pull off a #6 with my last procedure. I'm shooting for a #5 with this one and I'll be exctatic! Don't want to get my hopes too high

[stilldeciding]

Well you also got PRP that could help with scarring in itself, am I right? Don't know much about the stuff but from what I've read it sounds promising.

 

Scars aren't just going to heal themselves into a perfect nothing, there are things you can do to improve them so I would definitely at least research it and talk to a few docs/dermatologists...don't disregard the options that are out there.

[its752]

HairisThere, And keep in mind to not bend over to pick anything up, even be careful tying your shoes. No weights, pullups, etc for many months just to be safe.

[DDD03]

Anybody have thoughts on when it's ok to go for a jog? If I can't lift weights I'd love to get rid of this beer gut!

[Bill - Seemiller]

DDD03,

 

Personally, though you can do cardio 10 days after surgery, I don't like the idea of jogging because there is a lot of bouncing and I could feel it in the donor area. As a result, I usually do fluent cardio movements like biking, or other cardio machines.

 

Best of luck getting in shape for the summer :-)

 

Bill

[DDD03]

Great suggestion!

 

Watch out Lance!

[Dr. William Lindsey]

I tell everyone to come back at 3 weeks for a free scar check. Almost noone ever does unless they are a scar repair. But its mainly to remind everyone that #1. all scars get worse for 6 weeks and then improve. #2. a bit of gentle massage just with the fingertips, a minute prior to each meal for 2 months postop does indeed help. and #3. a bit of vitamin E, or mederma may help the scar in the first 3 months.

 

We don't sell anything for scars, so its not to try and sell folks some fancy potion, just to remind them how to expect the scar to mature. I don't recommend any expensive scar treatments for the average patient.

 

Dr. Lindsey McLean VA

[imissthebarber]

#2. a bit of gentle massage just with the fingertips, a minute prior to each meal for 2 months

 

Dr Lindsey I was interested to read this, I haven't heard this mentionned before. Is there any particular technique to this? I guess a lot of guys myself included would be nervous not to stretch the scar by doing it wrong. I imagine it is very different but I know laxity exercises should wait at least 6 months post-op.

[Dr. William Lindsey]

imissthebarber,

 

I just saw your question. A person would need to exercise common sense but massage in my opinion helps all of the scars made by me. I specifically tell you how hard to push.

 

Really though, its the closure, not the scar care that matters. I believe 50% of my scar massage regimen is placebo effect. It gives the patient something to do to help the scar.

 

Having done lots of surgery on faces, I think massage helps speed things up as far as scar improvement, but in my scars, I think at a year, you can't tell the difference between massaged and non massaged scars.

 

Fortunately bad scars have not been common for me, but the few that I have had, probably were not made worse by not massaging nor made better by massaging. It was either a deep suture failure allowing widening, or genetic predisposition to hypertrophic scarring/keloid formation; and lack of followup for steroid injection.

 

Dr. Lindsey McLean VA

[MRingler72]

Dr. Konior recommneds rubbing neosporin on the scar for the first few weeks. It keeps the skin moist, which prevents chaffing and itching and also protects with anitbiotics. It REALLY works well for the itch. I have my wife put it on with a q-tip twice a day, then I gently massage it on the scar.

[Dr. William Lindsey]

Do what YOUR doc says.

 

But, as I have posted before, I hate neosporin. About 80% of all of my unusual looking scars (at 7-10 days) (meaning red, lumpy, oozy) have a common thread(not sure if its the cause or not)---Neosporin. So I tell every one of our patients NOT to use neosporin, and most listen to that instruction.

 

Now my wife, a pediatric cardiologist, slaps neosporin on anything, and has her patients use it. So go figure.

 

But my kids know that if Dad is around, they better only put vaseline on any cut or abrasion or they'll get a lecture.

 

As to after the sutures are out... vitamin E and mederma are enough for all but the most unusual scar forming patients in my opinion.

 

Dr. Lindsey McLean VA

[JohnS]

Best thing is leave it alone. Too much fiddling can cause problems.