Gastric sleeve scars are permanent but often fade over time. The scar typically runs from the belly button to just below the sternum and is about an inch long. This type of surgery also leaves a small scar from the laparoscopic incisions, which are usually about an inch long.
All surgery leaves scars, but many people find that gastric sleeve scars fade significantly over time. In this article, we look at the types of scars left by gastric sleeve surgery, how to care for them, and strategies for minimizing their appearance.
How do surgeons create gastric sleeve scars?
Gastric sleeve surgery reduces the size of the stomach by removing part of it. Surgeons perform this procedure by creating a vertical cut on the abdomen and removing approximately two thirds of the stomach. They then reattach the remaining sections to form a “sleeve” shape.
When we think of weight loss surgery, the first thing that comes to mind is a stomach that has been dramatically reduced in size. For many patients, the resulting scar is something they would like to keep hidden.
One of the most common concerns we hear from patients is the appearance of their scars after having a gastric sleeve. It’s normal to want to hide them and this can often be achieved with clothing as well as concealer.
In this article, we’ll look at:
How a gastric sleeve works
How scars form after surgery
The effects on scarring when you lose weight
What you can do about gastric sleeve scars
A gastric sleeve scar takes about 3 to 6 months to heal, and these are the 5 stages of healing:
Redness
Inflammation
Itching
Scabbing
Scarring
A gastric sleeve scar will be a vertical scar that runs from the belly button down to the pubic area.
The reason for this is that the surgeon must access the stomach by cutting through this area of the body, known in medical terms as the abdominal wall.
The scar runs from the belly button down to the pubic area. It may extend around both sides of the abdomen, but it always runs vertically. The size and length of the scar depends on how much excess skin needs to be removed during surgery.
The surgery itself takes around two hours and it is usually performed under general anesthetic. You will experience some pain after surgery, which can be controlled with painkillers. You should be able to get out of bed and walk around after one or two days.
A gastric sleeve scar is the result of a surgical procedure called the vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG), which is one of two steps in a surgical procedure for weight loss.
VSG is a non-reversible procedure that reduces the size of your stomach and restricts how much you can eat at one time.
In this article, we will describe what to expect from a VSG and offer some tips on caring for your incision as it heals.
Gastric Sleeve Surgery Incision Placement
The majority of gastric sleeve procedures use a single incision in the upper abdomen. The location of the incision can be either
midline (right down the middle) or off-center (to the left side). In some circumstances, surgeons may make multiple incisions to perform the procedure laparoscopically.
Unlike other bariatric surgeries, gastric sleeve surgery does not involve rearranging or bypassing the intestines, so patients do not have to worry about multiple incisions and smaller scars.
Gastric Sleeve Surgery Incision Size
The length of your scar will depend on how large your stomach needs to be reduced during surgery. While most patients end up with a 12-inch incision across their abdomen, some patients may only require an 8-inch incision. This can vary depending on each patient’s unique needs and their surgeon’s preferred method of performing surgery.
The gastric sleeve procedure is a permanent surgery, and you will be left with a scar. The size and location of the scar from bariatric surgery depends on the weight loss procedure selected.
The following are some typical locations for scarring:
Gastric Sleeve – The vertical sleeve gastrectomy scars are located vertically on the upper abdomen.
Gastric Bypass – This weight loss procedure leaves patients with a small circular scar on the upper abdomen and a horizontal scar across the lower abdomen.
Gastric Band – For most gastric band procedures, there is no scarring as the incision is made through the belly button and laparoscopic tools are used to place the band. However, there is a possibility of small scars if laparoscopic tools cannot be used.
Duodenal Switch – A duodenal switch leaves patients with an upside-down T-shaped scar on their upper abdomen.
Do Gastric Sleeve Scars go Away?
When you are considering bariatric surgery, one of the most common concerns that many people share is whether the scars from the surgery will go away. The good news is that gastric sleeve scars do go away, but it is important to understand that it takes time for them to fade.
During the procedure, a long incision is made down the middle of the upper abdomen. The scarring from this procedure typically extends from hipbone to hipbone, although this varies depending on your surgeon and the extent of your surgery. This type of incision leaves an obvious scar at first, but there are ways to make this scar less noticeable as it fades. When you are considering bariatric surgery, one of the most common concerns that many people share is whether the scars from the surgery will go away. The good news is that gastric sleeve scars do go away, but it is important to understand that it takes time for them to fade.
During the procedure, a long incision is made down the middle of the upper abdomen. The scarring from this procedure typically extends from hipbone to hipbone, although this varies depending on your surgeon and the extent of your surgery. This type of incision leaves an obvious scar at first, but there are ways to make this scar
Gastric sleeve surgery is a weight loss procedure where the fundus and pyloric valve of the stomach are removed. This section of the stomach, also known as the gastric sleeve, is removed, leaving a long narrow tube in its place.
The gastric sleeve procedure is performed by making an incision in the upper abdomen. The length of this incision depends on which type of gastroplasty is being performed. With a laparoscopic gastric sleeve surgery, the incision will be small and there may be up to five small incisions used to insert surgical tools and a camera. With open surgery, the surgeon will make one large incision across the abdomen so that they can directly access the stomach.
The gastric sleeve surgery results in a dramatic weight loss for most patients who have struggled with obesity for years or decades. However, this weight loss can come at a cost: scarring from the surgery.
Gastric Sleeve Scars
Most scars from gastric sleeve surgery are horizontal or vertical incisions across the abdominal area. These scars can be several inches long depending on how much of the stomach was removed during surgery and whether or not you had open or laparoscopic surgery.
In some cases, these scars might be hidden
The gastric sleeve is a bariatric procedure that induces weight loss by restricting the size of the stomach. During this procedure, surgeons remove 75 to 80 percent of the stomach using surgical staples. One of the most common concerns patients have about this procedure is whether or not their scars will go away.
The gastric sleeve is a procedure that involves the removal of a large part of the stomach. The surgeon will make a long vertical incision on the left side of your abdomen.
The incision is typically closed after the procedure with surgical staples, but in some cases, you may also have stitches in place. The size and location of your scar will be dependent upon your body shape and where your surgeon makes their incision.
We’ll explain how to care for gastric sleeve scars, how long they last, and if it’s possible to get rid of them.
The stomach is a hollow organ located in the upper portion of the abdomen. It consists of a fundus (upper part), body (middle) and antrum (lower). The gastric sleeve surgery, also known as sleeve gastrectomy is a restrictive weight loss surgery that reduces the size of the stomach by about 75% of its original volume. It is performed laparoscopically and requires 4-5 small incisions to be made in the abdomen. The procedure involves removing a large portion of the stomach which results in vertical sleeve like stomach.
The gastric sleeve surgery results in less absorption of nutrients, however, it does not interfere with normal digestion.
In this procedure, the scarring is minimal and occurs at each incision site. Since the incisions are small and are made by making use of a camera, these scars tend to fade away within a few weeks after the surgery. The scarring may be visible for up to 2 months after which they will begin to fade away completely within 6 months.
When you change your lifestyle with exercise and diet, within 12 months from your surgery date your gastric sleeve scars may not be visible at all as they will blend into your skin tones.
Some people decide to undergo gastric sleeve surgery, also called a vertical sleeve gastrectomy, as part of their weight loss journey.
If you’re considering this procedure and have questions about scarring, here’s what you need to know.
The scar length will be about the same as the one you would get from a c-section. It runs from just under your breast line to just above your belly button.
The scar is usually tender and itchy for the first few weeks after surgery. The skin may also feel numb in that area for several months.
Over time, the scar will fade away to a thin white line that is barely noticeable, but it won’t completely go away. The scar may still be slightly raised years after your procedure.
How Many Scars do You Get After Gastric Sleeve?
The incisions used during gastric sleeve surgery are very small and will heal quickly. The typical number of scars you’ll have after having bariatric surgery is three, one that runs vertically along the belly button, one in the belly button itself, and one that circles around the belly button
The idea of having scars from surgery is sometimes a concern for people considering weight loss surgery. The good news is that the incision for a gastric sleeve is very small and almost completely hidden by your belly button.
At Houston Weight Loss Center, we perform all of our gastric sleeve surgeries laparoscopically. This means that instead of making one large incision near your belly button, we make several small incisions on your abdomen.
We insert a small camera and long instruments into these incisions to perform the surgery. These small incisions are less painful and heal faster than larger incisions.
Of course, everyone heals at different rates depending on their lifestyle, age, and habits (such as smoking). But most patients find that the scarring is minimal and easily covered with clothing or swimwear.
The gastric sleeve is a popular surgery for weight loss. A recent study found that it might be safer than other weight-loss surgeries. However, like any surgery, there are risks. These include pain and scarring after the surgery.
The gastric sleeve is one of several weight-loss surgeries that doctors perform to help people with obesity. This type of surgery is called bariatric surgery. Other surgeries include the gastric bypass and the duodenal switch.
In some cases, doctors also perform a procedure called a laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB). They insert a band around the top of your stomach to create a small pouch at its entrance.
How it works
During a gastric sleeve, your surgeon removes part of your stomach to create a smaller stomach pouch that limits the amount of food you can eat. The removed portion of the stomach is typically about 80 percent of your stomach or about two-thirds, depending on the hospital policy.
The surgeon creates six small incisions in your abdomen for the procedure and then inserts instruments through them to remove part of your stomach and staple and seal it shut. Your doctor may use laparoscopic instruments or traditional open surgical techniques for this procedure.
You will have a scar about 5 to 10 cm in length on the left side of your upper abdomen. It will take 6 weeks for the wound to heal and 3 months before it has faded to a pale line. You should avoid sun exposure during the first year after surgery to prevent excessive darkening of your scar.
You may have some numbness around your scar but this usually resolves in the first two years after surgery.
Many surgeons also use laparoscopic equipment to perform surgery, which involves making small incisions and using tiny cameras rather than larger incisions that require more recovery time.
A sleeve gastrectomy is an irreversible procedure, but can be converted to a gastric bypass in the future if necessary. The surgery is performed under general anesthesia, so you will be asleep during the entire procedure. It can take anywhere from 45 minutes to two hours depending on the surgeon’s technique and your individual case.
You will have a large incision across the top of your stomach that may be closed with staples or stitches, or it may be left open for healing (this depends on your surgeon’s preference). You will also have one or two very small incisions near your bellybutton where the laparoscopic equipment was inserted. These small incisions are typically closed with dissolvable stitches that don’t require removal.
Your surgeon wil make five to six small incisions, or cuts, in your abdomen. In most cases, you’ll have one larger cut in your belly button and several smaller cuts around your belly button. Your surgeon may also make a small cut below your breastbone so they can see your stomach and other organs.
Once the incisions are made, your surgeon will use a thin tool with a camera on the end of it (laparoscope) to see inside your body. They’ll insert surgical tools through the other incisions to perform the surgery.
There are several types of scars that can occur.
The most common type of scarring is a “linear” scar, which is like a thin line that looks very similar to the ones you get from an appendix or c-section or other types of surgeries. Most people find this type of scar to be not too unsightly and it is usually the easiest one to conceal with clothing.
Another type of scarring that can occur is called a “dogear” which basically means there’s a fold in the skin at the incision site. This happens when there’s too much tension on the incision site, so we try to prevent this as much as possible by using stitches that absorb into your body and don’t need to be removed after surgery (these are called “slow release” or “absorbable” stitches) or by placing multiple layers of sutures underneath your skin (this helps support the healing process so that it doesn’t have to pull as hard).
Finally, another type of scarring that can occur is called “keloiding” when an overgrowth of collagen forms around the incision site. This usually happens because there was too much tension on the incision site during healing time (which is why we use absorbable sut