Dr Harsh Shah
MS, MCh (Surgical Gastroenterology), DrNB (Surgical Gastroenterology)
Registered with Gujarat Medical Council, Reg. No. G-38738
Robotic Hernia Surgeon · Apollo Hospital, Bhat, Gandhinagar · Gota OPD, Ahmedabad
In short
Before a hernia repair, many people want to know what the scar will look like. The answer depends on the type of repair and on how your skin heals.
This page explains where the cuts go, how scars change over time, and how to care for them.
In open repair, the surgeon makes one cut over the hernia. For a groin hernia this sits low, close to the skin crease, and is often hidden by underwear.
In keyhole and robotic repair, the work is done from inside the belly through small cuts. Each is about the size of a fingertip. One is often hidden in the belly button.
Scars after different kinds of hernia repair
| Type of repair | Cuts | Where they usually are |
|---|---|---|
| Open groin repair | One cut, a few centimetres long | Low in the groin, along the skin crease |
| Keyhole groin repair | Two or three small cuts | Belly button and lower belly |
| Robotic groin repair | Usually three small cuts | Across the middle of the belly, at belly button level |
| Open belly button repair | One small curved cut | At the edge of the belly button |
| Large belly wall repair | One long cut, or several small cuts if robotic | Depends on the size and place of the hernia |
Want to know which repair suits your hernia, and what scar it would leave? We explain the options at your visit.
On darker skin, a scar may stay darker for longer before it fades.
Keep the wound clean and dry until it has closed. Once it has healed, usually after two to three weeks, rub in a plain moisturiser and massage gently for a few minutes each day.
Sun makes new scars darker. Cover the scar with clothing or sunscreen for the first year. Do not pick at scabs.
A new bulge can be a hernia at the scar. Your surgeon can check it.
Usually two or three small cuts, each about the size of a fingertip, plus one near the belly button.
A scar is pink or dark at first and slowly fades and flattens. Most settle over 6 to 12 months.
Once the wound has fully closed, usually after two to three weeks, a plain moisturiser and gentle massage can help it soften.
A firm ridge under the scar is normal healing tissue in the first few months. A new soft bulge that grows on standing needs a check.
Some people, more often those with darker skin or a past keloid, form a thick raised scar. Tell your surgeon if you have had one before.
The main page on this site is robotic hernia surgery in Ahmedabad. These cover the neighbouring questions.
Where to find us
Dr Harsh Shah, MS, MCh (Surgical Gastroenterology), DrNB (Surgical Gastroenterology)
Shah's Gastro, Cancer & Robotic Surgery Centre
Apollo Hospital, Bhat, Gandhinagar
Gota OPD, Ahmedabad
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