Dr. Jonathan Zelken, board certified plastic surgeon from Newport Beach, describes his preferred technique for surgical scars for the first 3 weeks postoperatively. He learned this technique in Taiwan and swears by it. At every visit, the tape is removed, and either Betadine or alcohol swabs are used to cleans the wound of debris and bacteria. Then, porous medical tape is applied meticulously to the wound to minimize edema, clear off dried blood, and leave the smallest, flattest scar possible. After 3 weeks, Dr. Zelken recommends using topical silicone or silicone sheeting. The patient here had a latissimus flap breast reconstruction 6 days prior and is comfortable during the treatment.
