Dr. Claytor’s Research on Microneedling for Surgical Scars Published in “Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery”
Plastic surgeons often say that there’s no such thing as a scarless plastic surgery: simply put, incisions are required for effective surgical shaping and lifting, and that creates scars. Experienced board certified plastic surgeons take great care to inconspicuously place incisions and limit their size—but it is natural to want any resulting scars to fade as quickly as possible.
As an elite Philadelphia plastic surgeon, Dr. R. Brannon Claytor is at the forefront of exploring methods for reducing their appearance. Here, we share the latest proven approaches to plastic surgery scar care.
Common scar care methods after plastic surgery
To speed along the process of scar “maturity,” plastic surgeons routinely advise their patients to use scar strips, scar gel, and even scar massage. But in recent years, collagen remodeling treatments like laser treatments and microneedling have also emerged as effective scar-minimizing techniques.
Our plastic surgeon’s research and findings
Microneedling, also known as “collagen induction therapy,” is an innovative and minimally-invasive skin treatment typically used on the face to treat acne scars, fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, dull skin tone, and enlarged pores. Very fine, hair-like needles are passed over the skin surface to prompt the body’s healing mechanism, promoting fresh collagen and elastin in treated areas for better plumpness, smoothness, coloration, and elasticity. Microneedling has been proven to be a sound treatment for frustrating chronic acne scars, and it is also commonly used for treating stretch marks, which are a form of scar.
While it is impossible to make a facelift or breast lift fully scarless, minimizing post-surgical scars with in-office treatments like microneedling is well-proven and can be a routine part of your cosmetic surgery treatment plan.
While laser skin resurfacing has been a more common option for minimizing post-surgical scars, board certified Philadelphia plastic surgeon Dr. Brannon Claytor saw the effectiveness of microneedling for treating other skin irregularities and its promise for surgical scars. He thus spent the past several years conducting a study into its effects on our Philadelphia plastic surgery patients’ scars. In the study, conducted at our practice here in Bryn Mawr, 25 patients returned to Dr. Claytor for 3 microneedling sessions at regular intervals after surgery.
Plastic surgery scar study results
At just four months post-op, patients treated with microneedling saw significant scar improvement based on 3 different measures, including both doctor and patient ratings. Dr. Claytor’s study also found that those who started microneedling earlier—just 6 weeks after surgery, once the initial healing process was complete—saw even better results at the four-month mark. Previously, most surgeons believed that it was necessary to wait a full year after surgery before using microneedling to improve surgical scars’ appearance.
The research was published in the peer-reviewed journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Dr. Claytor is happy to offer this option in our office to his plastic surgery patients after most procedures for the face, breast, and body.
Read the full abstract of “Microneedling Outcomes in Early Postsurgical Scars” online »
About Dr. R. Brannon Claytor
Dr. R. Brannon Claytor is board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS) and holds membership in numerous professional societies including the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and The Aesthetic Society. Dr. Claytor was named a 2021 Best Plastic Surgeon by Newsweek and a Philadelphia Magazine Top Doctor in 2021 and 2022, among other honors.
Dr. Claytor’s practice, Claytor Noone Plastic Surgery, serves the greater Bryn Mawr, Main Line, and Philadelphia area. Dr. Claytor is an expert on the deep plane facelift in Philadelphia, as well as the specialized drainless tummy tuck technique (allowing for a drain-free recovery from abdominoplasty). He also offers a full range of plastic surgery for the face, breast, and body including breast augmentation, liposuction, and the innovative, minimally-invasive MyEllevate neck lift.
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