Scars tell a story, and we always tell our patients that they should never feel ashamed or embarrassed of a surgical scar on their body. With that said, we certainly understand why patients are interested in minimizing the appearance of their scar after shoulder surgery. We encourage you to wear your battle scar with pride, but if you truly want to minimize its appearance, we provide some tips in today’s blog on reducing scar visibility after shoulder surgery.
Scar Management After Shoulder Surgery
Scar management begins before you even go under the knife. If you trust your surgery to a skilled shoulder specialist who can perform the operation using minimally invasive techniques, the scar itself will be smaller and less visible. Even for more invasive surgeries like shoulder replacement, Dr. Holloway can use less invasive techniques to limit the size of the scar, which also helps reduce its visibility.
Once your surgery has been completed, scar management will be in your court. Here’s what we recommend.
- Keep the scar clean – An infection can end up making the incision site more visible and causing more significant problems for your body, so keeping the area clean is a must. Change your dressings regularly and keep them clean so as to limit opportunities for bacteria to enter the wound site.
- Discharge management – Another reason why it’s important to change your bandages regularly is because it removes moisture that can get trapped under the dressing. This dampness can soften the incision, leading to redness and delayed healing, both of which can serve to make your scar more visible. Limit moisture and dampness underneath bandages during the early stage of wound closure.
- Moisturize once the scar is sealed – Once the wound has fully closed, it’s typically helpful to apply medical ointments or petroleum jelly to the area to reduce redness.
- Physical therapy – Physical therapy will be beneficial for your surgically addressed shoulder function, but it can also help limit scar visibility. Physical therapy can improve blood flow to the area, which can encourage healthy cell remodeling, in turn limiting the appearance of your surgical scar.
- Stay out of the sun – We don’t expect you to turn into a vampire while your scar is healing, but prolonged sunlight exposure can cause hyperpigmentation of the recovering skin tissues, making the wound more visible. Limit direct sun exposure during the first couple months of recovery.
- Listen to your doctor – For best results, talk with your doctor about the best way to limit scar visibility after your specific surgery. They’ll be able to provide you with some individualized advice, which will trump any general tips you’ll find online. They may also be able to recommend certain topical ointments or use specific medical-grade devices like silicone strips after surgery which can expedite the wound healing process. Your surgeon is a great resource when it comes to scar management after shoulder surgery.
Contact Dr. Holloway
With a little care and foresight, we’re confident that you can minimize the appearance of your surgical scar. For individualized advice, or for help with a different shoulder-related issue, we hope you’ll connect with Dr. Holloway and his team. Reach out to his office today at (865) 410-7887.
