There are so many things to think about when it comes to having your plastic surgery, sometimes it can seem overwhelming. However something important often overlooked is the care of your wound where incisions during surgery were made. Looking after the site of the incision properly can mean all the difference between a neat and tidy scar compared to a possible angry, open and long-to-heal wound that results in a raised, more noticeable scar.
Wound Care – Be Prepared
There are actually quite a few products on the market claiming to help with scars and wounds however there is a company called Stratpharma who have two specific products designed to target and assist with scar treatment or wound healing, in all its different stages.
Stage 1 – Open Wounds
There are several factors which can influence the time it takes your body to heal an incision wound. These include: are you a smoker; are you healthy with a good diet; do you have diabetes, etc. However, your skin should form a seal over the wound within a few days. As well as following your practitioner’s instructions for dressings, etc. you may wish to consider a product called Stratamed.
Developed by Stratpharma, Stratamed is one of the very few products that can be used on non epithelialised wounds – where the skin has not yet healed over the top of the broken surface. It can work to heal the skin before the scarring process even begins, allowing the skin to repair much better than it would have otherwise. Other products can often not be applied until after the wound has fully closed, which can take weeks. Stratamed is a great product to have on hand or have ready for use in the early days of a wound.
Stage 2 – Proliferation of the Wound
This is where new blood vessels grow to bring nutrients to your wound and new tissue develops.
A normal scar usually develops during the first 48 hours after wound closure and fades within 3 to 12 months. However various factors can interfere with and alter the wound-healing process, causing an “overhealing” or continuation of the scarring process. Something you can do to assist in the scar healing process is apply a product that Stratpharma have developed especially for this purpose. Strataderm is a gel applied in a thin layer to the affected skin and can be used on both new and old scars. It will help to soften and flatten raised scars, relieve itching and discomfort, reduce the redness and discolouration and assist with the prevention of any excessive scar formation.
Click here to find out more about Strataderm and Stratamed or click here to buy them from the PSH shop!