If the benefits of vitamin C were known a decade ago, the saying would have went, "Eat an orange a day to keep the doctor away." Although still under intense scientific scrutiny, the benefits of vitamin C continue to emerge. If you have recently had an abdominoplasty, also called a tummy tuck, vitamin C may have some recovery benefits worth considering while you admire your new abs.
Step 1
Stop smoking if you have not already quit. Smoking will increase your healing and recovery time, and smoking will increase your vitamin C needs. On average, smokers require 35 mg more vitamin C daily than do their nonsmoking counterparts. Nicotine, the drug in cigarettes, constricts blood vessels and may hinder the flow of healing blood to your new surgical scar.
Step 2
Eat more fruits in their raw state. The citrus family is an obvious source of vitamin C, including oranges and grapefruits. Just 6 oz. of fresh citrus juice provides about 62 mg of the vitamin. Other little known sources of vitamin C include tomatoes, strawberries, red bell peppers and broccoli. Five servings of fruits and vegetables will provide about 200 mg of vitamin C, or half of what is recommended daily.
Step 3
Take a daily vitamin C supplement if you want to meet the 400 mg per day recommended intake. These supplements may also be listed as ascorbic acid, although that is just another name for vitamin C. Commercial supplements usually provide about 60 mg per dose; one can be taken in the morning and one at night for a total supplement of 120 mg. After any major surgery, including a tummy tuck, your immune system may need some help fighting infection. Vitamin C has been proven to give the immune system a boost in fighting off potential infection, notes the National Library of Medicine.
Step 4
Apply unscented vitamin C lotions to the scar once it is closed or completely healed. Scented lotions, although they smell nice, may have fragrance added that can irritate the skin. Abdominoplasty will leave a large scar across your lower abdomen. The scar is inevitable; however, the time for it to heal and fade will depend on your body. Vitamin C has been shown to increase collagen production, the component of your skin responsible for scar formation and skin elasticity.
Tips and Warnings
- Wash and peel fresh fruit, and store it in airtight plastic bags. Making the fresh fruit more convenient to snack on may help you reach for oranges as opposed to junk food. Avoid aspirin products while taking vitamin C; the aspirin decreases your body's absorption of this vitamin.
- Do not apply any lotions or creams to the healing drainage tube sites or the incision until your doctor gives you the OK. Although rare, vitamin C users have reported a decrease in efficacy of blood thinners while on vitamin C.
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