Surgical procedures on the arm can leave visible scars. They may cause discoloration to the skin and in many cases a change in the skin's texture. Many see their scars as an unsightly mark upon their otherwise perfect skin. Methods to hide scarring range from the inexpensive (covering scars with clothing) to the expensive (cosmetic surgery). People who wish to hide surgical scars on their arms need not wear long sleeves or sweaters year-round, nor should they pay to undergo additional surgery.
Step 1
Apply triple-antibiotic ointment to the surgical wound twice a day. Using a triple-antibiotic ointment on surgical wounds not only reduces the risk of bacterial infection, but it will reduce scarring if used properly.
Step 2
Cover the wound with gauze after applying the ointment and fix the gauze with surgical tape. Keep the wound moist during the healing period and change the gauze dressings when they get soiled.
Step 3
Continue to apply triple-antibiotic ointment once a day until the wound is completely healed. After the stitches are removed from the surgical incision, the wound should be completely closed up, but the stitches may leave small openings that are at risk for infection.
Step 4
Massage Mederma (a gel made from onion extract) onto the wound twice a day. Once the wound is healed a product like Mederma can be effective in reducing scarring. Massaging the gel into the scar can also reduce the size and color of the scar as massaging has been shown to be effective in improving collagen flexibility.
Tips and Warnings
- Take pictures of the wound immediately following surgery, after the stitches have been taken out and biweekly after that to see improvements.
- Your doctor may have conflicting instructions for treatment of your surgical wound and methods of scar reduction. Mention that you are considering a scar reduction method using triple-antibiotic ointment followed by Mederma to see if the doctor approves.
Things You'll Need
- Gauze
- Surgical tape
- Triple antibiotic ointment
- Mederma
References
- "Cutis;" A newly formulated topical triple-antibiotic ointment minimizes scarring; Berger RS, Pappert AS, Van Zile PS and Cetnarowski WE; June 2000.
- "American Journal of Surgery;" Overview of wound healing in a moist environment; Field FK and Kerstein MD; January 1994.
- "American Journal of Surgery;" Overview of wound healing in a moist environment; Field FK and Kerstein MD; January 1994.
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