Wound Care & Scar Prevention in Bellevue & Seattle

Proper wound care is essential for optimal healing and achieving the most natural, imperceptible scars possible.

Dr. Young

Expert Guidance on Healing & Scar Prevention

Dr. Philip Young is a double board-certified, award-winning facial plastic surgeon and beauty theorist. Below, he outlines how to care for your incisions to support proper healing and minimize scarring. The first 48 hours are the most important for cleaning. After that, the importance of frequent cleaning gradually decreases over the first 1–2 weeks. If you have any questions at any time, please contact our team.

Supplies You May Need

To support proper wound care, we recommend having the following items available:

Silicone gel or silicone tape (preferred)
Distilled water
White vinegar
Q-tips
Ice packs or frozen peas
Vaseline
Compression wrap (for certain procedures)

Silicone-based products are the only scar treatments shown to make a significant difference in improving scar appearance based on current medical literature.

Why Silicone Is Recommended

Based on Dr. Young’s research and literature review, silicone gel or tape is the most effective ingredient for scar improvement.

Other commonly used products—such as Vitamin E, zinc, aloe vera, arnica, and Mederma—have not shown significant clinical benefit in improving scars.

Cleaning Your Incisions

For the first 2 weeks:

Clean incisions with a mixture of 3 parts distilled water to 1 part vinegar
Clean at least twice daily, or more frequently if crusting is present
In some cases, cleaning may be done as often as every hour to prevent buildup

The goal is to keep the incision:

As closely approximated (skin edges together) as possible
Clean
Free of crusting, blood, or oozing

After cleaning, apply Vaseline continuously for the first 2 weeks to support healing. Avoid hydrogen peroxide, as it may worsen scarring.

Schedule A Consultation

After the First Two Weeks

Once the incision is fully healed (no crusting, oozing, or open areas):

You may resume regular skincare
Begin silicone gel or tape application if desired

Wound Care & Scar Prevention Timeline

First 7–14 Days

Focus on frequent cleaning and keeping Vaseline on the incision
Prevent crusting to reduce infection risk and scarring

After Initial Healing

Continue cleaning until the scar is level with the surrounding skin
Begin silicone gel or tape (12 hours on / 12 hours off)
Use sunscreen during the day

Long-Term Scar Care (3–6+ Months)

Option to wear silicone continuously (24/7) if well tolerated
Continue silicone therapy as tolerated
Monitor for irritation, redness, or raised scarring

If the scar becomes raised, red, or irritated, treatment such as steroid injections may be considered.

Important Healing Principles

Cleanliness is critical: crusting increases infection risk and worsens scarring
Frequency matters more than force: gentle, repeated cleaning is best
Moist healing promotes better results: keep incisions protected with Vaseline early on
Consistency leads to better outcomes

What to Look for During Healing

A well-healing incision should appear:

Clean
Smooth
With edges closely approximated

Areas with crusting or buildup are more likely to heal with wider or more noticeable scars.

“My goal was to find a method to bring back a person’s natural youthfulness without the operated, unnatural look, and that is why I have my patients bring in photos of themselves when they were ages 5 to 30. My YoungVitalizer helps restore natural and youthful contours they haven’t seen in years.”

— Dr. Philip Young

Long-Term Results

With proper care, incisions can heal to become very difficult to detect over time. Some mild elevation or redness early on is normal and often intentional to reduce tension on the wound. This typically improves as healing progresses.

Ongoing Support

If you have any questions about your healing process, we are always available to help. You can contact us by phone, email, or text at any time.