Europe 1 5:59 p.m., September 14, 2021

Scars, whether accidental or surgical, can be bothersome in the long run.

In the show "Bienfait pour vous" on Europe 1, plastic surgeon Oren Marco gives some advice to limit damage and ensure good healing, as discreet as possible.

INTERVIEW

White or purple, linear or swollen… Not all scars are pretty.

Whether accidental or surgical, these marks on the body are often a source of embarrassment, even shame, and arouse the desire to make them as discreet as possible.

In the program

Bienfait pour vous

 on Europe 1, plastic surgeon Oren Marco gives some tips to ensure good healing and limit damage.

The importance of quitting smoking

First, a "pretty" scar is prepared upstream. "If it's something programmed, you have to stop smoking because it interferes with healing," explains Dr Oren Marco. Advises him to stop, or at least reduce his consumption between 3 and 6 weeks before an operation. Which can even be shifted if the patient is a heavy smoker.

Thereafter, it is absolutely necessary to "avoid exposure to the sun" and "to massage the scar".

"A scar takes between 12 and 24 months to stabilize. During this time, we can play on it," says the specialist.

"Putting creams at the start is very important. There are silicone or plant-based creams that calm the inflammation of scars," he explains.

"If we see that it starts to swell, we can put on small silicone-based dressings."

Can't completely erase a scar

A normal scar should be flat, fairly linear. It will always be colored, whether it is lighter or darker than the original skin tone. Conversely, "the pathological scars are swollen and red," says Dr. Oren Marco. In the event of an accidental scar, linked to a burn for example, a subsequent operation is possible to replace the damaged skin. "We place balloons under the skin, which we inflate little by little," explains the specialist. "This makes an excess of skin" which will then be used to cover up the burn.

Finally, it is possible to turn to lasers to "reduce inflammation or reduce colors". In these cases, the surgeon advises to contact a laser dermatologist. "It takes between 4 and 6 sessions and it is not always reimbursed by Social Security," he says. Also, while it is always possible to improve the appearance of a scar, it cannot be completely erased.