There is a lot to think about when making a decision to undergo surgery. It’s important to look at all of the pros and cons in order to be completely informed. Long-term effects from cosmetic procedures are almost all positive, but one unfortunate side effect is the presence of scars. While plastic surgeons are specifically trained to ensure scars are as unnoticeable as possible, they still exist when an incision has been made into the skin. And with hundreds of scar therapies claiming to reduce the appearance of both old and new scars, how do you know what actually works?
At the Quatela Center, we take pride in only offering products and procedures that have proven, tested results. There are a few options offered by Drs. Quatela and Koenig to aid in the healing and appearance of scars which include Dr. Koenig’s Scar Balm, embrace™ Advanced Scar Therapy, and bioCorneum®+.
- Dr. Koenig’s Scar Balm is an organic, holistic ointment formulated by Dr. Koenig and produced at Lavender Moon Herb Gardens that is included in his abdominoplasty, breast lift, and arm lift patients’ post-operative care packages. Created with extra-virgin olive oil infused with fresh herbs, beeswax and essential oils, ingredients such as comfrey (which promotes rapid healing), calendula blossoms (which offer anti-inflammatory properties and the high amount of carotenoids help skin regeneration), and marshmallow leaf (which soothes the incision and keeps skin hydrated) work together to promote healing of the incision.
- embrace™ Advanced Scar Therapy is an FDA-cleared adhesive silicone sheet applied to the area that removes tension from the incision site. During healing, tension is what causes scars to form, and embrace™ is the first product created to remove that tension to minimize scar formation. It is most often used for scars from arm lift or tummy tuck surgery, where the incisions often have a great deal of tension on them, but can be used by anyone. If Dr. Koenig feels that a scar might be more prominent than usual for a variety of reasons, he will recommend embrace™. During use, it is reapplied weekly and is water resistant.
- bioCorneum®+ is the first quick drying silicone gel scar treatment with SPF 30 cleared by the FDA. A topical scar management for both new and old scars, it dries quickly to form an invisible, flexible silicone sheet. In addition to aiding in scar management, it relieves itch and discomfort associated with healing, is water resistant, and patients can wear makeup over top of it. During use, it is reapplied twice daily. This works well for small incisions from facial procedures.
Sometimes, there is also the option to remove scars through surgery. In this case, scars must be at least a year old and will be surgically removed from the skin. A consultation appointment is necessary to evaluate the scar and decide if a surgical procedure will be beneficial for each specific situation.
For more information or to purchase a scar therapy product, please call our office at (585) 244-1000 to speak to a Patient Consultant.
