Scar revision for open appendectomy

[Tilly66]

Hello,
My dd who is 24 had an emergency open appendectomy when she was travelling on her gap year. As a result, she has a scar which starts a couple of inches above her navel and straight down to about four inches below it. It's a different colour and therefore very obvious on her tummy. I am told that plastic surgery can do wonders for this sort of scar..Can anybody recommend a great plastic surgeon who has done such a scar revision for them? Many thanks

Ideally in London would be good

I had an open appendectomy and have a scar. I can't say it's ever bothered me.
Why is your dd bothered by it? Is she a lingerie model or something (genuine question) ?

No, it doesn’t bother her hugely but because it’s a thick six inch very red scar which runs vertically through her navel and she is young we would like to see the options of whether it could be improved. It wouldn’t bother me to have such a scar but I think it’s different when they are young

How new is the scar?

I only ask because I looked into scar revision surgery after multiple surgeries on my legs (I looked like I’d suffered a shark attack)

I discounted it and now 4 years later the scars are very much faded and less obvious - but all mine were flat scars if that makes sense - not pulled or causing deformation in the skin around them (like some c-section scars cause shelves?)

If it’s causing a deformation in the skin then I’d get it looked at sooner or later - I can’t help with surgeons though sorry!

Just wanted to bump for you and maybe share a story of how scars do fade if she’s not that bothered!

I had mine when I was 12 and am now only 32. Scars fade a lot.
Tell her to use bio oil twice a day. It does help.

@Tilly66 obviously you are asking about recommendations which I don't have but I had my appendix out age 14 and am now 61. Only option in the 70s was an open appendectomy. My scar is truly awful. It's slap bang in the middle of my stomach ( as they weren't sure if I had an ovarian cyst or appendicitis) and I had a wound infection afterwards which stopped it closing properly. I hate this scar. It is about 5 inches long and is bumpy and ridged and looks like a penis! It took about 30 years to fade from bringing red and I have never ever worn a bikini. I was deeply ashamed of it as a young woman. I also have a worse scar on my back from surgery at age 8 and that was similarly upsetting to em ; getting changed for games, communal changing rooms, new partners etc). So I would say that if you are able to, seek advice from a range of surgeons to see what they suggest. Bio oil may help. But if your daughter is anything like as mentally scarred as I was and you have the means, get advice about changing it. It's not weak or shallow to care about your body

My mother was offered cosmetic surgery for the scar on my back when I was 9 as it was so dreadful and she refused ( she didn't want me in hospital again which I kind of understand now as a parent) but I never forgave her for making that decision which has impacted my whole life and self esteem

Many thanks for your thoughtful answers. The scar which is four years old is slightly indented with zigzag stitch marks. I am told that plastic surgery can be very helpful. I think my dd would feel a lot happier wearing bikinis etc if the scar was less prominent. I just need to find the right surgeon in London.