Post-surgical scarring (also known as cicatrix) is the mark left on your skin after a wound heals. As you heal from surgery, fibrous tissue is being replaced by normal tissue beneath the skin. This is a good sign as it’s nature’s way of letting you know that your body is mending naturally.
What causes excessive post-surgical scarring?
Everyone experiences some sort of scarring when they undergo surgical procedures. While there are ways to minimize scarring (avoiding alcohol, getting plenty of rest, eating healthy, etc.), other factors are out of our control. These can include:
- Scar location
- Age
- Genetics
A quick healing scar is less noticeable. When healing is delayed, scarring becomes prominent. Many patients then opt to undergo scar revision surgery. This can make the scarring less noticeable, improve functionality around the affected area, and correct any disfigurements.
The treatment of post-surgical scarring can be as important as the surgery itself. Ignoring or having poor skincare treatment can have disastrous consequences. Oftentimes, this can affect one’s psyche and quality of life.
The Esta Crompton story
In 1987, at the age of 27, Esta Crompton suffered a horrific car accident. She was hit by a drunk driver in a near-fatal crash which caused life-altering physical damage. Esta was hospitalized for months, unable to work for years to come. Her face was left nearly unrecognizable as she underwent countless surgeries and tested endless products. Bankrupt and disfigured, Esta would suffer from depression. This affected her relationships and professional opportunities for years to come.
“My surgeries started in 1989 with a doctor that specialized in the care of deformed infants and children,” Esta recalls. “I thought to myself, ‘if he could take care of them, he can take care of me.’ But I soon realized that while these infants and children were healing, I wasn’t. Then, in 2010, my doctor left for another position and I was left devastated and hopeless.”
“In addition to botched surgeries, the recommended skincare regiment was lacking. Looking back, and knowing what I know now, the products and ingredients were of poor quality,” said Esta during our Zoom interview.
My new lease on life
Through a serendipitous meeting in a coffee shop near her old doctor’s office, Esta met the person that would give her a new lease on life. This person, Dr. Diana Elias, who Esta says “is the most amazing plastic surgeon and bone specialist” would use technological advancements that other doctors failed to employ.
Esta underwent two more surgeries – one 7.5 hours and the other 4.5 hours. Her recovery took two years, and Dr. Elias finally gave Esta her life back in 2014 at 54 years old. Esta finally received the closure she needed to break free from that horrific time in her life. “I could finally take pictures with my family and friends and not worry about having to explain what happened to me. If there was an award for the best, most caring plastic surgeon it would be her. There is nothing Dr. Elias can’t do,” says Esta.
Esta was coached by Dr. Elias on proper skincare routines to minimize scarring and speed recovery. After her prior surgeries, Esta would use skincare products that included a host of artificial ingredients that accomplished nothing. On a mission, Esta set out to find the top leading pharmacists and chemists in the industry to treat her maladies. Finding success with her new skincare regiment, Esta had a vision – to launch her own skincare company using simple, all-natural ingredients to help others like her find solace in their lives.
Fewer ingredients lead to better results
Here’s an analysis of the list of ingredients that Esta uses for her CoQ10 Cream and Cell Repair Serum:
- Coenzyme Q10
- Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10,) also called ubiquinone, is a fat-soluble compound that’s found in your body’s cells. A “coenzyme” is needed for other enzymes to properly function – think of them as that one bestie you can’t do certain things without.
- Also used as a supplement, CoQ10 aids in mitochondria functionality, providing energy to cells for regeneration and slowing down free radical activity – therefore, producing healthier cells, skin, and tissue, while slowing down aging from the inside out.
- An extremely potent ingredient, Coenzyme Q10 is an antioxidant. Antioxidants are the first and foremost ingredients in any skincare line, allowing our skin to be protected from environmental stressors, such as UV radiation, which is the primary cause of aging.
- Copper
- Copper is used for tissue repair and acts as a healing property while improving and stabilizing skin proteins. This tissue repair acts on diminishing scarring, burns, and other abrasions to the skin.
- Copper promotes collagen, skin firmness, and reduces fine lines and wrinkles, while also working as an antioxidant.
- Copper is a protein, compiled of amino acids, the building blocks of our skin. It is crucial to have different types of amino acids in skincare products.
- Avocado Oil
- Avocado oil is extremely hydrating and moisturizing, promoting plump, supple skin.
- Avocados are packed with antioxidants and vitamins and their extract promotes moisturization, hydration, and smoothness.
- Biopeptides
- Biopeptides are multiple peptides combined in skincare products, such as vitamins E, A, C, and antioxidants.
- Peptides are crucial in building new collagen and prevent elasticity breakdown.
- Peptides maintain multiple benefits, including regeneration and rejuvenation, while reducing fine lines and wrinkles, producing collagen, and strengthening elasticity.
The CoQ10 is a powerful wrinkle defense cream that works as a hydrating antioxidant, reducing fine lines, preventing future wrinkles, and increasing blood flow. This advanced skincare rescue stimulates cell renewal and penetrates dehydrated skin cells with a burst of hydration, repairing and preventing signs of aging, while also activating collagen-building properties to improve surface smoothness and elasticity.
The Cell Repair Serum is an anti-aging serum that replenishes skin, retains moisture, and injects an intense burst of lasting hydration. Formulated to enhance firmness and elasticity, the Cell Repair Serum is irritation-free and suitable for all skin types, even the sensitive kind.
By keeping her product line and ingredient list simple, Esta’s customers see results that they wouldn’t see elsewhere.
The importance of post-surgical skincare
According to an article by the National Library of Medicine, “the psychosocial effects of scarring is well documented. Patients report having reduced self-esteem, being stigmatized, and having disrupted daily activities, anxiety, and depression.”
Proper skincare goes beyond aesthetic beauty. Oftentimes, as seen by Esta, failure to employ a proper skincare regimen can lead to depression. Finding the right routine after surgery will be critical for your psychological and physical well-being.
“My accident made me who and what I am today – I love life and people. In a way, you can say that my accident saved my life because I wouldn’t be here today, telling my story as a successful entrepreneur and business owner, who suffered a tumultuous past filled with abuse, trials, and tribulations. It’s never too late to make dreams come true.” – Esta Crompton, Founder of Estala Skincare
This article is sponsored by Standard Insights, an AI as a Service growth marketing platform.
They are working with Estala Skincare, other skincare companies, and clinicians helping them drive growth by leveraging their customer’s data using Artificial Intelligence.
Email us at [email protected] to learn how we can drive growth to your brand.
