Topical Treatment for Recovery After Aesthetic Body Surgery | Dr. Daniel Gould

Dr. Daniel Gould co-authored this multicenter clinical trial published in Aesthetic Surgery Journal Open Forum, examining whether a topical peri-surgical skincare product could improve healing and recovery following aesthetic body procedures.

Swelling, bruising, skin discoloration, tissue firmness, and internal fibrous banding can occur during recovery from invasive aesthetic surgery. While previous research had explored combinations of topical products to address these concerns, this study evaluated whether a single formulation could provide measurable benefits before and after surgery.

The researchers conducted a randomized, double-blind, split-body clinical trial involving 29 patients undergoing 38 surgical procedures. Each patient served as their own comparison, allowing the researchers to evaluate treated and control areas under similar surgical and biological conditions.

Recovery was assessed using clinical photography, biopsies, ultrasound imaging, and blinded evaluations from both investigators and participants. Differences between the treated and comparison areas began to emerge approximately 10 to 14 days after surgery.

The treated areas demonstrated improvements in several postoperative concerns, including bruising, skin discoloration, swelling, induration, and subcutaneous fibrous banding. Ultrasound evaluation also showed earlier resolution of fibrous banding in the treated tissue, while biopsies performed during the preoperative period demonstrated changes in the extracellular matrix.

The research provides clinical evidence that targeted topical treatment used around the time of aesthetic surgery may serve as a useful adjunct to postoperative recovery, helping support tissue healing and address several common effects of invasive body procedures.