Immediately After Repair
Follow instructions provided by your team for care and follow-up.
When to Call
- Call for fever greater than 101.5 degrees, and child not otherwise sick.
- Call for redness outside the incision (photo A).
- Call for any drainage that is thick and yellow.
- Concerns for abnormal scar (photo C).
Activity
- Avoid contact sports/vigorous activity/direct trauma to surgery site until released to activity by your team.
- Your cut/incision will be as strong as it will get at six weeks.
- The scar will then continue to change for several months.
Contact Information
Nursing Line
- Weekdays 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
- 412-692-6845
Plastic Surgery On-Call
- Emergency
- Nights/Weekends
- 412-692-5325
Scar Process
- It will take six to 18 months for the scar to have its final appearance.
- Your scar should gradually soften and fade over these six to 18 months, but will look pink initially (photo B).
- Some scars never fade. If your scar stays pink after 12 to 18 months please call to discuss options.
- If your scar becomes raised and rubbery instead of flat, this could be an abnormal scar process (photo C). Please call if noticed.
Massage
- Start scar massage with favorite moisturizer when approved by your team. You can do massage without moisturizer as well.
- Massage often. Several times a day for several minutes is OK.
Sunscreen
- Sunscreen should be used as soon as approved by your team. This will be once the cut/incision is healed.
- Sunscreen will help protect the scar from permanent hyperpigmentation or "tattooing," a permanent darker color that can result from sun exposure and will not fade.
- You should apply the sunscreen frequently and use a barrier (hat or clothes) to cover if anticipating prolonged, direct sun exposure.
- This is most important while the scar is pink and changing.
Scar Products
- SUNSCREEN!
- If you are going to use a scar-management product, we prefer silicone-based materials. There are several different brands, such as ScarAway®, Mepiform®, and Biocorneum®.
- You can use a silicone tape and massage directly over the tape.
- You can also choose as silicone gel and do your massage with the gel.
Revisions
- We try to wait 12 to 18 months before revision in order to see the final scar result.
- We cannot 'remove' a scar but would be happy to assess to see if it could be improved.
Photo A: Signs of Infection
Photo B: Immature, normal scar
Photo C: Red Ropey Scar
