Top Surgery Scars | What You Need To Know
“Never be ashamed of the scars that life has left you with. A scar means the hurt is over, the wound has closed, you endured the pain, and you are healed.”
This is a big moment in your life, and I’m glad you’re here. It means you’re doing your research so you feel more prepared! Let’s cover what you need to know about your top surgery scars.
Scars Are Natural
Remember, your body knows how to heal itself. No matter how much you do for your top surgery scars, a lot of it is up to your skin. You’ll need patience while your incisions heal. In the meantime, focus on giving your body the nutrients it needs to heal and form healthy scars.
Assist With Supplements
Your body is working overtime to heal your incisions. So step one is making sure it has what it needs! Some nutrients are known to help reduce scar tissue and help your body heal. Think protein, zinc, and Vitamin C. Always check with your doctor and surgeon first to make sure what you take is OK for surgery!
Skin Products
After all, your skin is doing all the work! Lots of people have had luck with different oils and rubs to keep their scars extra hydrated. While I was doing research, I found that Buck Angel (pioneering filmmaker, speaker, and advocate) has had excellent results with Emu oil. “I have found this to be one of the best products on the market for many skin problems as well as healing scars. I used it for my hysterectomy scars and it was fantastic. Right now I am in the works of testing it on trans men who have just had surgery with amazing results.” -Buck Angel
Massage - Work it!
Massaging the tissue around your scars has been found to help them heal. Wait at least two weeks after surgery before you start massaging your top surgery scars. Massage does the most good in the first two years after surgery. It cuts down on scar tissue build-up. It’s also been proven to improve blood flow, which helps healing and makes scars more “pliable”. Working the area around the scars drains extra fluid so swelling goes down. It can also help you get feeling back, make the scars more flexible, and help your body build collagen.
Will I have noticeable top surgery scars?
How much your scars show comes down to a few things: your genes, how you’ve scarred in that area before, and where your scars are. Take care of your body and give it what it needs while you heal. That helps keep scarring down and helps those cells rebuild!
When you’re healing from a big surgery, a lot depends on the type of surgery you had and how easy you go on your body afterward. These tips will help you keep your top surgery scars as small as possible. Have you had top surgery? What would you recommend to your trans* family about the healing process? Drop some tips, tricks, and questions you may have below!