1. Aren’t scars inoperable?
Generally speaking, the recurrence rate after surgical removal of scars is extremely high, so we also do not advocate simple surgical removal.
2.What preparations are needed before surgery?
You need to take a bath the day before surgery and curled scars need to be washed thoroughly with soap and water. For perineal and axillary scars, the surrounding hair must be shaved off (outpatient local anesthesia surgery, there is no staff dedicated to preparing the skin).
3.Do I need to be hospitalized? How to anesthetize? Do I need an empty stomach?
The procedure is usually done on an outpatient basis, no hospitalization is required, and you can go home on the same day. The anesthesia is local infiltration anesthesia, that is, the anesthetic solution is injected in the area around the surgery. Fasting is not required and the surgery cannot be performed on an empty stomach.
4.What should I do on the day of surgery? Who will do my surgery?
After coming to the hospital on the day of surgery, blood test, bring the blood test report and the prescribed operation order and signature sheet to the operating room of the Burn and Plastic Surgery Department on the second floor of the inpatient department, and generally Dr. Jiang and I will do the surgery for all scar patients.
5.Do I need to get a hangnail after surgery?
Generally no, oral antibiotics for 3 days is sufficient.
6.Do I need to take painkillers?
Generally no, if you feel pain after surgery, you can take 1 tablet of painkillers orally.
7.When should I change the medicine and remove the stitches after surgery? Can I go to another hospital?
Generally, the medication is changed on the second and fifth day after surgery (disinfect the incision and change clean gauze), the stitches are removed on the head and face in 5-6 days, on the trunk in 8-10 days, and on the extremities in 10-14 days. However, it is not absolute. At the end of the surgery, the doctor will tell you the exact time to change the medication and remove the stitches and write it down in the medical record book in case the patient forgets. You can go home and have your stitches changed and removed at your local hospital.
8.When do I start the injections after the surgery?
Generally, the medication injections start 10-20 days after the stitches are removed, and then every 4 weeks thereafter. You must come to our scar clinic for each visit. If you do not come to our clinic without permission for fear of trouble, the scar will most likely recur.
9.What do I need to pay attention to in terms of diet? Can I eat seafood? Can I eat soy sauce?
Regardless of whether you have surgery or not, as long as you have scars, you should follow the principle of “no smoking, no alcohol, no spicy food (or try not to eat). You can eat soy sauce. As for seafood, it depends on the individual. Some people are allergic to seafood and will get rashes and red and itchy scars after eating it, so don’t eat it. If there is no bad reaction, then you can continue to eat seafood.
10.Other things to note?
Women should not operate during menstruation.
Do not operate during cold and diarrhea as much as possible.
Those with high blood pressure and blood clotting disorders should not have surgery as much as possible. Those with high blood pressure whose blood pressure is controlled within the normal range by oral antihypertensive drugs can have surgery.
Other patients whose “Informed Consent for Scar Treatment” states that long-term medication is not appropriate should not have surgery.