Cesarean section scar

What scar remains

The first thing that worries expectant mothers after the health of their baby is how the scar will remain after a cesarean. It depends on several factors, mainly the type of incision. The cross section is aesthetically more successful. It is sewn up with a self-absorbable material, so a cosmetic suture is obtained, after which the scar is barely noticeable. It looks like a line as thin as a thread, easily hides in the natural folds of the skin and does not cause trouble.

– A transverse incision in the skin is usually about 10-12 cm long, but it all depends on the specific operation. If a large-scale surgical intervention is expected or the child is quite large, the length may be longer. Then it is cosmetically sewn up, so almost nothing is noticeable, – says obstetrician-gynecologist Dinar Gabdrakhmanov.

Fortunately, in 90-99% of cases, obstetricians make just such a transverse external incision, but sometimes you have to refuse it.

— There are a number of situations where a vertical incision is needed. It is usually used in emergencies. Sometimes it is resorted to by doctors who simply do not own other equipment, most often this is observed in remote settlements, in district hospitals, – says obstetrician-gynecologist Elvira Akhmetova.

According to Elvira Akhmetova, a vertical incision is performed in the following situations:

• when there is complete placenta previa with ingrowth into the uterus;
• with placental abruption with massive bleeding;
• during delivery of twins with a developmental defect (Siamese twins);
• if there is a threat to the life of a woman and it is urgent to remove the child;
• when there is a need for additional surgical interventions on the abdominal organs (splenectomy, cholecystectomy, operations on the stomach, intestines, etc.), that is, when wide access is needed;
• when a caesarean section is performed by a surgeon, and not by an obstetrician (the surgeon may not be proficient in the techniques of this operation);
• if there is already a vertical scar.

The vertical seam after such an operation will be rougher in appearance, since it has a more serious load, respectively, and the scar will remain noticeable.

If after the first cesarean the woman has a neat and barely noticeable scar, then there is nothing to be afraid of with subsequent cesarean sections. Doctors will try to excise the old scar as much as possible and make a new seam in its place.

However, it is rather difficult to predict in advance which scar after a caesarean section a young mother will have. Human skin behaves differently. Sometimes raised scars appear at the site of the incision – keloid or hypertrophic scars – the result of excess connective tissue.

Hypertrophic scars are dense to the touch and rise above the surface of the skin.

A keloid scar is a rough, unsightly scar that ranges in color from pale pink to purplish bluish. Such a scar can itch, throb and ache.

The main reason for the formation of keloids is a genetic predisposition. Some people’s bodies contain too much of the enzyme responsible for collagen production, hence the growth of scars. Sometimes such scars form in people who sin with increased protein intake – among sports nutrition lovers or avid meat eaters.

How to remove a scar

Fortunately, modern medicine and cosmetology have learned to deal with almost all shortcomings in appearance, and scars are no exception.

You can remove the scar after a caesarean section using conservative methods or radical surgery. In the first cases, drug treatment is practiced. Doctors prescribe special ointments and gels to the woman, which, together with injections of corticosteroids into the scar area, can be very effective. Hormones, in particular, provoke the reverse development of keloid tissue, causing the scar to decrease.

Physiotherapeutic methods for removing scars after cesarean are also practiced, including electrophoresis and ultraphonophoresis, mesotherapy is used – injections of nutrients into the scar area, which causes the coarse tissue to dissolve.

If conservative methods do not help, they resort to surgical intervention.

Plastic excision

Plastic excision of the scar is recommended in cases where other methods of scar removal have been ineffective. Usually, excision is carried out on scars that are older than six months, that is, they have finally formed.

In fact, during plastic excision, the surgeon simply cuts out a part of the skin with overgrown connective tissue, matches the edges of the wound and sews the skin up again, making a more accurate seam. It is removed after 3-4 days.

Plastic excision of the scar is performed under local or general anesthesia. After that, the woman will have to undergo rehabilitation for 2-4 days. To speed up wound healing, specialists may recommend physical or cosmetic procedures.

The cost of such an operation is calculated individually, depending on how large and complex the original scar is.

However, with keloid scars, excision may not be effective, because there is no 100% certainty that the new suture will heal as it should.

Laser resurfacing

The most popular way to correct scars after caesarean section is laser resurfacing. The laser destroys collagen fibers, stimulating the production of new collagen, due to which the scar is smoothed out.

It usually takes a whole series of such procedures to finally get rid of an unsympathetic scar. Doctors recommend starting sessions in the fall or winter, when the scar is hidden by clothes as much as possible and the scorching sun does not threaten it.

It will not be possible to completely remove the scar due to laser resurfacing, but after this procedure and the use of products that restore the skin, it will become almost invisible.

Laser scar resurfacing lasts no more than an hour and is performed under local anesthesia, and sometimes it is not required. In the process and later, the patient may feel a slight burning sensation, but it will quickly pass.

After the procedure, redness and swelling may appear, and a crust will form at the site of the scar, which will fall off after a few days. At this time, it is recommended to make bandages with antibacterial ointments.

However, this procedure is not suitable for all women. There is a list of contraindications for laser resurfacing:

• pregnancy; – inflammation of the skin;
• psoriasis,
• allergy;
• blood diseases (hemophilia);
• taking medications that thin the blood;
• epilepsy;
• eczema;
• skin cancers.

If all this is not about you, you can go to the clinic for a consultation on the procedure. The cost of laser resurfacing can vary significantly, since not only the region and clinic play a role, but also the degree of problematicness of your skin, as well as the size of the scar.

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