A question for spray tanning geeks.

How soon can you spray tan on top of new scar tissue?

I am due to have an operation this coming weekend. A friend is having a big party in four weeks time. If I've recovered well enough to attend I would love to have a spray tan to make me feel a bit healthier and also as a pick me up.

Can you spray on top of four week old scars? The scar will be down the centre of my chest bone, and quite large.

Many thanks

I wouldn't spray unprotected scar tissue for at least 6 weeks...sometimes more, however I would ask your surgeon or doctor how oon you may apply vaseline to the wound.

I have sprayed clients who have had minor surgery and they have been able to mask the wound with vaseline (in fact some surgeons recommend vaseline in the weeks post surgery to help keep scar tisue moisturised)

If you are told you can do this, spread it well over the scar, covering a cm or 2 to either side, and I would say that as a tanning therapist, this is where I find the precision of an airbrush invaluable, over a spray gun. It allows you to get really quite close to an area without spraying directly at it.

Being human beings we are all different and heal at different rates and advice from your doctor prior to any spraytan being applied after any form of surgery is a must as he can best assess the condition of the wound best..

Never spraytan any scar tissue which is not fully healed or has signs of reopening or infection.

If healing is complete ensure adequate precautions are taken to prevent excess DHA form being drawn into the dry skin which will make the tan look patchy ..the method of doing this is more than adeqatley prescribed above by Lyndsay.

good luck with the op

Having had surgery myself in the past twelve months, I wouldn't spray tan anyone until at least 6 weeks has elapsed and as Zingara said sometimes more. A lot also depends on the type of scar and where the scar is situated as to how long it may take to heal through. It can take a full w years for a scar to heal full thickness. A lot also depends on whether the scar has just been from an operation or whether skin/tissue has been removed (as in a tummy tuck) this can take longer.

the skin heals in three stages:

1 The inflammatory stage - vasodilation/clotting (takes 2-5 days)
2 Proliferative stage - granulation -fibroblasts lays new collagen down, contraction pulls the wound together and epithelalisation (can take up to 3 weeks)
3 The final stage is the remodelling stage which can take up to 2 years as new collagen is formed.

Hope this helps.

Wow that is abslutley fantastic infomation
That must be a surgeons gown your wearing in your avator Julie

I'd always get it checked out with the clients GP etc to be on the safe side.
Just for insurance purposes if nothing else x

Thanks for the information guys.

Great info Joe90. I will keep a note of the different stages of skin recovery in case I ever come across extreme scaring once I have done a spray tanning course myself, hopefully next year!

Will wait and see what my scar is like in four weeks time. I suppose I could always just get my face, arms and lower legs done and leave the rest pasty white! X

If the scar has not healed sufficiently by the time you are wanting a tan a good alternative ,just this once now ,would be to have a manual applied tan to areas away from the vacinity of the scar itself.

But dont be going making a habit of it now