How to Heal Surgery Scars

Surgery can leave a person with scars, which are a natural part of the body's healing process. The more damage the skin suffers, the longer it will takes heal, which raises the chance of a noticeable scar. There are procedures that can fade scars, such as dermabrasion, laser treatments chemical peels and further surgery. However, if you'd like to minimize the appearance of your scars without further procedures there are several steps you can take. There also many home remedies you can try, but these should be used with caution and discussed with your doctor.

Step 1

Discuss your post-surgery care with your doctor. Keep bacteria and germs out of your wound by keeping it covered, and don't scratch or pick at the area of surgery. This can tear at the skin's collagen.

Step 2

Consume vitamin C by eating citrus fruits, strawberries or green leafy vegetables. This supports collagen growth and can help speed creation of new skin cells as well as shedding of old ones.

Step 3

Eat other foods with vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids that nourish your skin. Pick orange and yellow vegetables for their vitamin A, and green leafy vegetables for vitamin E and silica. Eat salmon or use flaxseed oil to get omega-3 fatty acids essential to skin health. Eat beef or pork to gain zinc. Consume foods that provide iron like meat, eggs, beans, leafy greens and enriched cereals.

Step 4

Put honey on a dressing and apply to the scar several times a day. Many studies indicate that difficult-to-heal wounds respond well being dressed with honey, which promotes quick healing with minimal scarring, according to the New Zealand Dermatological Society. It's best to spread the honey onto your dressing and place this on the wound in lieu of applying it directly to the surgery area.

Step 5

Discuss other natural scar treatments with your doctor or a naturopath. Common home remedies include coconut oil, lavender oil, massage, tamanu oil, aloe vera and vitamin E. There is little science to back up use of such remedies, however, and some studies even caution against their use. For example, April, 1999 study published in the journal Dermatologic Surgery examined whether vitamin E improves appearance of scars after surgery. It found no benefit and concluded that using topical vitamin E can even be detrimental to the appearance in the scar area. Another study concluded that aloe gel actually inhibits healing for deep surgical wounds, according to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.