Ointment and sunscreen on scar

[DachsieMom]

Hi! I am posting this question for my sister, who had OHS and valve replacement 6 months ago, and for me, who had it one week ago. What type of ointment or vitamin e /Shea butter do you put on scar to make it heal better and how often? Also, any sunscreen or precautions for summer? I know being one week out I can't use anything now, but my sister at 6 months out could use creams. When did everyone start using sunscreen or lotions? Thank you.

 

[tom in MO]

I started using sunscreen after it had healed over. I have sensitive skin prone to burns and acne. I use Clinique products for men, specifically Clinique for Men, Broad Spectrum SPF 21 Moisurizer. I used the same product but w/o the sunscreen for routine moisturizing after shaving and for the scar. The Clinique men's moisturizer is the same as the womans (it's the yellow lotion) just packaged differently. Right now the men's lotion is cheaper. Clinique lotion used to be recommended by plastic surgeons after surgery. I found it is a wonderful product but way too expensive.

 

[Paleowoman]

I didn't let my scar in the sun at all last year - had surgery in January '14 so when summer came I wore a light weight scarf over the scar to protect it. A cardiac nurse told me that the scar is much, much more sensitive to sunburn than regular skin and so would not do well if the sun got to it. I will still be careful even this year, though may use a good make of factor 50 suncream.

 

[river-wear]

I made sure to keep mine covered for the first 8 months or so, but now I'll occasionally let it show and use SPF 70 on it. I burn easy, and if I was going to be outside for a few hours I'd probably still keep it covered. I'm paranoid about making it look worse. The top inch or so is pink and keloid, but the rest is damn near invisible. I've been trying the silicone sheets for the past month or so - no change yet.

Oh, and I was putting aloe on it for awhile after six months. It didn't seem to make any difference. I've read that Vitamin C supplements can also help with collagen production, so I'm taking that too. I figure it can't hurt.

 

[RobThatsMe]

I have never really hid my scars from the sun, and I have had 2 open heart surgeries. You can hardly see the scar(s), it actually looks like one, but they healed really well for me.
I used Palmers Coca Butter with Vitamin E Formula. And for the sun on my boat I use BlueLizard Sunscreen,

 

[MrsBray]

I started using the same moisturizer that I use on my face, as soon as I had no open areas. Or whatever lotion I had handy. I used shea butter for a while, but it discolors my skin. A year later, I still use moisturizer every morning, and always wear sunscreen. I've seen scars smaller and thinner than mine, and I've seen scars much larger than mine.

 

[Boomanchu]

I've not felt compelled to hide mine, I guess I figure I earned the right to fly that flag. Actually the scars from my chest tubes look much worse, like a shooting victim. I do understand the safe in the sun worries though.

 

[skeptic49]

I use Mderma scar cream...one version comes with SPF 30 protection. I started daily applications of the once-a-day Mderma at six weeks post op.

 

[Paleowoman]

Ah, should have made clear that I wear a scarf or factor 50 sunscreen to protect the delicate skin of the scar from the sun when I'm in it, I'm hiding it from the sun only……….…otherwise I show my scar with pride, I wear tops which show it and would never hide it.

 

[cldlhd]

I was told that if I don't expose it to the sun for the first year the scar will be much less noticeable. Maybe I'll wear a swim shirt this summer and deny everyone the treat ( sarcasm alert)

 

[T in YVR]

There's a product you can buy online called Scar Fx. It's a reusable silicone strip that helps reduce the visibility of the scar over time from what I hear. You wear it at night when you go to bed. I heard it works well.

 

[epstns]

I think there's a lot to be said for genetics and heredity. Being a guy, I didn't do anything about my scars. I just let them be. I stayed out of the sun the first summer after surgery, then just ignored the scar for the next two summers. To this day, unless you search for the change in texture, you won't see my scar hardly at all. Just dumb luck, I think. I have so many scars all over from surgeries and injuries, but mine seem to fade within a year or two, and unless there's a major difference in skin tone, they just "hide."

The only scar I have that is a bit reddish and obvious is the one from a hernia repair I had done over 45 years ago. I think that has more to do with surgical techniques then and now than anything else.

 

[Tirone]

What works great and is used in patients that have celloid/hypertrophic scars are silicone scar sheets. You can start using them 2-3 weeks postoperatively, once the wound has healed. There are tons of different products on the market (cica-care, mepitel... just do mention a few). These sheets are used routinely in plastic surgery and quite affordable. I used them for a couple of months and am very happy with my scar now. Just as important is to avoid direct sun light.

 

[river-wear]

2-3 weeks post-op? Wow, it took at least six weeks before the last of the darn scab fell off of my incision. I do wish I had started with the silicone sheets right after that. I haven't seen any improvement with them so far (after four weeks).

 

[pekster11]

the bottom 2 inches of my chest incision has developed into a hypertrophic scar.
i might buy those silicone sheets and see if they improve it

 

[Gazza01]

Bio oil is great for scars.

 

[almost_hectic]

I used a silicone ointment called ScarAway for several months and kept my scar covered from the sun for the first year. You can barely even see any scar anymore. It’s almost gone. Now I go out in the sun all the time and only use sunscreen as I normally would. It’s no different than the rest of my skin now.

 

[Croooser]

I used a silicone ointment called ScarAway for several months and kept my scar covered from the sun for the first year. You can barely even see any scar anymore. It’s almost gone. Now I go out in the sun all the time and only use sunscreen as I normally would. It’s no different than the rest of my skin now.

I am 7 weeks post op and my scabs are just now finally gone. My days of running around with my shirt off are long past but I would like to do what I can to help my scars heal well.

Did you use the strips or the ointment or both?

Did you treat the scar 24 hrs/day or ???

 

[LondonAndy]

Like others, I used Bio Oil for months after my surgery, as well as staying out of the sun for the first year, and now that OHS scar is visible but the same colour as the rest of my skin, and the pacemaker scar is practically invisible.

 

[almost_hectic]

Did you use the strips or the ointment or both?

Did you treat the scar 24 hrs/day or ???

I originally used the strips, but I found them difficult to remove and the skin underneath was still very sensitive and partially pulled off once. After that I switched to the ointment and found it way easier to use. Just a tiny drop would go a long way. Yeah I pretty much had treated it all day and night. After showering and washing it, I would dry off and smear a new dab up and down the scar massaging the skin at the same time. It would stay on until the next shower the following day. Just became part of my daily routine. Plus using ointment made it easier to cover my scar if I was having a day by my pool. I could cut an inch wide piece of kinesiology tape and cover my scar from the sun, kind of like a band-aid. Allowed me to enjoy being in the sun, but kept my scar protected. I think it was worth it, today I barely have a scar at all.