Dr. Hive - reducing scars (Not for the squeamish)

[BlsdMama]

Tips? Suggestions? I took one nasty fall last night forward and I am going to have a 4” scar in the middle of my forehead. Many stitches later, he did a great job considering what he had to work with but....I do look a little like Frankenstein’s monster and have one heckuva headache.

Edited September 4, 2020 by BlsdMama

[Jaybee]

Oh Kelly! Ouchouchouch. No ideas on the reducing scars, but wow. Take it easy and get lots of rest.

[Ottakee]

Ouch.   

Not sure if this is the best advice or not but my daughter's doctor told her not to do anything with the scar....no rubbing it, no creams, etc.

[Bambam]

I know I've seen scar reducing creams in the pharmacy section of Walmart/Target/etc. 
My dh is a firm believer in Vitamin E oil for scars. 
I think I'd call up my PCP and ask the nurse is they had any recommendations. 

[RootAnn]

Don't let it scab. That's my #1 advice. Vaseline is one way.

[Miss Tick]

What about the OTC scar reducing cream, Mederma? One of our pediatrician recommended it for growth stretch marks. It used to be prescription only, apparently.

[ktgrok]

5 minutes ago, RootAnn said:

Don't let it scab. That's my #1 advice. Vaseline is one way.

This. There are two types of healing - the kind that happens in moist environments doesn't tend to scar. Dry wounds do. It has to do with the type of cells and the matrix they are laid down in. 

Once it has healed a bit the scar strips made from silicone help. 

But my biggest reccomendation is to see a plastic surgeon ASAP. Insurance should cover it - honestly, they should have called one into the ER to stitch it up (maybe they did?)

[Jaybee]

I believe Manuka honey is suppose to be very restorative for wound care. 

[itsheresomewhere]

Last year, DD has surgery for her broken hand.  After the wound was healed, her wonderful doctor advised her to rub cocoa butter on it a few times a day.  Her scar is looking great and has faded and no longer raised.  

[happi duck]

(hugs)

I've heard vitamin E but haven't used it myself.

[amyx4]

Last time one of boys had stitches/staples the dr emphasized not to get a tan or a sunburn for a year.  (Obviously, the sunscreen is for after you've healed.)

[vmsurbat1]

25 minutes ago, amyx4 said:

Last time one of boys had stitches/staples the dr emphasized not to get a tan or a sunburn for a year.  (Obviously, the sunscreen is for after you've healed.)

FWIW: along these same lines, when I had surgery for skin cancer (face), the (expensive) dermatologist's front desk sold special creams to minimize scarring, but the office ladies said a cheaper version was to use good 30 spf sunscreen religiously (at night, too!) as there is something in it that helps reduce the pigmentation differences.

[Pawz4me]

Ouch! So sorry that happened!

My husband has had several scalp and facial skin metastasis from his cancer. His dermatology surgeon recommends pharmaceutical grade Vaseline until the stitches come out (she supplies a tube), and then OTC silicone scar ointment for at least a month after that. She's adamant about making sure it's a silicone based product, not just anything that says scar cream.

[alisoncooks]

Oh man. I bet that was scary and upsetting for everyone!

My DD recently had surgery (thyroid) and her dr really emphasized keeping the healing wound out of the sun.  We're also firm believers in Vaseline (though we use Cerave healing ointment). 

[Beth S]

I think you can have plastic surgery in the future to reduce the scar, if needed.
I'm truly thankful you're OK. That must have been quite bloody!
Rest and recuperate today!

 

[Ali in OR]

I'm so sorry! That looks really owie. Ditto the vaseline type comments. Praying that it heals well.

[Jentrovert]

A plastic surgeon recommended silicone scar strips after a surgery. I began applying them after the wound was healed and they worked well. The stitches were done by the plastic surgeon, though, so were well done to begin with.

Honestly, for something that significant on my face, I'd want a plastic surgeon, not an er doc. I guess it's probably too late now for the fresh wound, but you might like to have a consult to see what options there are.

So sorry this happened! Head wounds bleed so much it makes them seem overly scary too. 

Edited September 4, 2020 by Jentrovert

[NorthwestMom]

I am so sorry to see this and hope you are not in pain.  Last year my daughter got hurt in PE class and lost a chunk of flesh above her lip.  My dear friend who is a nurse advised us to see a plastic surgeon, not because it needed surgery, but to address the scarring. I called our dermatologist and they agreed and gave us a referral.

The cut my daughter had appears deeper and smaller than yours, so professional advice may be different.  He told us:

Let it heal and apply this to it twice per day: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06X17LJF9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 This product was great, I highly recommend it.

Then he examined it about 6 weeks later and it was forming a keloid scar,  so he injected it with some chemotherapy compound (I can't remember what it was) that dissolved the scar tissue inside the wound to flatten it.  We continued using Scar Away. That happened at 2 consecutive appointments about 6 weeks apart.  Finally, he did a laser treatment. The scar is still somewhat visible but does not protrude - I am really pleased how well it healed.  The laser treatment was not covered by insurance.

Best wishes!  I hope you feel better soon. 

 

[BlsdMama]

6 hours ago, Ktgrok said:

This. There are two types of healing - the kind that happens in moist environments doesn't tend to scar. Dry wounds do. It has to do with the type of cells and the matrix they are laid down in. 

Once it has healed a bit the scar strips made from silicone help. 

But my biggest reccomendation is to see a plastic surgeon ASAP. Insurance should cover it - honestly, they should have called one into the ER to stitch it up (maybe they did?)

Funny story that.

We went to the local ER.  I requested a surgeon.  They said no.  They said staples.  I said no.  They said stitches, PAC.  I decided to leave, they said no.  I called down to the University hospital - they have a surgeon on call.  We did leave.

Get this:
While it was not "friendly," it was civil.  I was just firm that I *would* have a surgeon repair this.  They brought me a wheelchair and I was on my own - no help into the chair, no help out, nothing.  I've NEVER experienced that kind of treatment.  Kind of a, "Well, there's the door..."

We went to the university.  They called a facial trama surgeon.  He was great.  They had to kind of undercut the wound to make sure it didn't pull taut.  They said the same thing - vaseline is your friend.  I was wondering about calendula oil or lavender on the surface once/day.

The second experience was great.  The first was ridiculous.  Who makes an ALS patient with a head wound get herself in a chair and out of the hospital? I had DH but just wow....

[ktgrok]

WOW!

And good for you for knowing what you needed. I cannot BELIEVE they were going to use staples on your FACE?!?!?!

[BlsdMama]

5 hours ago, Pawz4me said:

Ouch! So sorry that happened!

My husband has had several scalp and facial skin metastasis from his cancer. His dermatology surgeon recommends pharmaceutical grade Vaseline until the stitches come out (she supplies a tube), and then OTC silicone scar ointment for at least a month after that. She's adamant about making sure it's a silicone based product, not just anything that says scar cream.

Awesome - I will look for one for after the second week!

4 hours ago, Beth S said:

I think you can have plastic surgery in the future to reduce the scar, if needed.
I'm truly thankful you're OK. That must have been quite bloody!
Rest and recuperate today!

 

That's exactly what they said! He did cutting beneath the sides of the wound to release any tension.  He said he thinks I'll be very happy with this but that if any edge should pucker, etc. that we can fix it about six months after.

There was a decent amount of blood, but thankfully we were all aware head wounds look worse than they are! I came home and went to bed and I'm headed back there now.  DH took the day off and played Homeschool Mama - running a kiddo to class, a kiddo to tryouts, and a kiddo to work.  He's not just arm candy.... 😉❤️ 

4 hours ago, Jentrovert said:

A plastic surgeon recommended silicone scar strips after a surgery. I began applying them after the wound was healed and they worked well. The stitches were done by the plastic surgeon, though, so were well done to begin with.

Honestly, for something that significant on my face, I'd want a plastic surgeon, not an er doc. I guess it's probably too late now for the fresh wound, but you might like to have a consult to see what options there are.

So sorry this happened! Head wounds bleed so much it makes them seem overly scary too. 

I'm glad you said this too - the ER at the local hospital told me this just isn't done.  You go to the ER, you don't request a surgeon.  Really? Look at my face? I look like I tangled with Voldemort.

4 hours ago, NorthwestMom said:

I am so sorry to see this and hope you are not in pain.  Last year my daughter got hurt in PE class and lost a chunk of flesh above her lip.  My dear friend who is a nurse advised us to see a plastic surgeon, not because it needed surgery, but to address the scarring. I called our dermatologist and they agreed and gave us a referral.

The cut my daughter had appears deeper and smaller than yours, so professional advice may be different.  He told us:

Let it heal and apply this to it twice per day: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06X17LJF9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 This product was great, I highly recommend it.

Then he examined it about 6 weeks later and it was forming a keloid scar,  so he injected it with some chemotherapy compound (I can't remember what it was) that dissolved the scar tissue inside the wound to flatten it.  We continued using Scar Away. That happened at 2 consecutive appointments about 6 weeks apart.  Finally, he did a laser treatment. The scar is still somewhat visible but does not protrude - I am really pleased how well it healed.  The laser treatment was not covered by insurance.

Best wishes!  I hope you feel better soon. 

 

Thank you for all this.  The pain is really minimal.  I have a headache but it is surprisingly numb.  He told me it would not be surprising to have this numb feeling for a couple months but feeling will eventually come back as nerves heal.


Moral of the story:
Don't pee in the dark.  Don't assume you intuitively know how far you are from a door.  If your balance is cr@p, use your walker, not walls.  Yes, you CAN have a surgeon.


Thanks guys - for the support and the encouragement and the suggestions. ❤️ 

[BlsdMama]

5 hours ago, Pawz4me said:

Ouch! So sorry that happened!

My husband has had several scalp and facial skin metastasis from his cancer. His dermatology surgeon recommends pharmaceutical grade Vaseline until the stitches come out (she supplies a tube), and then OTC silicone scar ointment for at least a month after that. She's adamant about making sure it's a silicone based product, not just anything that says scar cream.

Awesome - I will look for one for after the second week!

4 hours ago, Beth S said:

I think you can have plastic surgery in the future to reduce the scar, if needed.
I'm truly thankful you're OK. That must have been quite bloody!
Rest and recuperate today!

 

That's exactly what they said! He did cutting beneath the sides of the wound to release any tension.  He said he thinks I'll be very happy with this but that if any edge should pucker, etc. that we can fix it about six months after.

There was a decent amount of blood, but thankfully we were all aware head wounds look worse than they are! I came home and went to bed and I'm headed back there now.  DH took the day off and played Homeschool Mama - running a kiddo to class, a kiddo to tryouts, and a kiddo to work.  He's not just arm candy.... 😉❤️ 

4 hours ago, Jentrovert said:

A plastic surgeon recommended silicone scar strips after a surgery. I began applying them after the wound was healed and they worked well. The stitches were done by the plastic surgeon, though, so were well done to begin with.

Honestly, for something that significant on my face, I'd want a plastic surgeon, not an er doc. I guess it's probably too late now for the fresh wound, but you might like to have a consult to see what options there are.

So sorry this happened! Head wounds bleed so much it makes them seem overly scary too. 

I'm glad you said this too - the ER at the local hospital told me this just isn't done.  You go to the ER, you don't request a surgeon.  Really? Look at my face? I look like I tangled with Voldemort.

4 hours ago, NorthwestMom said:

I am so sorry to see this and hope you are not in pain.  Last year my daughter got hurt in PE class and lost a chunk of flesh above her lip.  My dear friend who is a nurse advised us to see a plastic surgeon, not because it needed surgery, but to address the scarring. I called our dermatologist and they agreed and gave us a referral.

The cut my daughter had appears deeper and smaller than yours, so professional advice may be different.  He told us:

Let it heal and apply this to it twice per day: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06X17LJF9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 This product was great, I highly recommend it.

Then he examined it about 6 weeks later and it was forming a keloid scar,  so he injected it with some chemotherapy compound (I can't remember what it was) that dissolved the scar tissue inside the wound to flatten it.  We continued using Scar Away. That happened at 2 consecutive appointments about 6 weeks apart.  Finally, he did a laser treatment. The scar is still somewhat visible but does not protrude - I am really pleased how well it healed.  The laser treatment was not covered by insurance.

Best wishes!  I hope you feel better soon. 

 

Thank you for all this.  The pain is really minimal.  I have a headache but it is surprisingly numb.  He told me it would not be surprising to have this numb feeling for a couple months but feeling will eventually come back as nerves heal.


Moral of the story:
Don't pee in the dark.  Don't assume you intuitively know how far you are from a door.  If your balance is cr@p, use your walker, not walls.  Yes, you CAN have a surgeon.


Thanks guys - for the support and the encouragement and the suggestions. ❤️ 

[Jentrovert]

1 hour ago, BlsdMama said:

Funny story that.

We went to the local ER.  I requested a surgeon.  They said no.  They said staples.  I said no.  They said stitches, PAC.  I decided to leave, they said no.  I called down to the University hospital - they have a surgeon on call.  We did leave.

Get this:
While it was not "friendly," it was civil.  I was just firm that I *would* have a surgeon repair this.  They brought me a wheelchair and I was on my own - no help into the chair, no help out, nothing.  I've NEVER experienced that kind of treatment.  Kind of a, "Well, there's the door..."

We went to the university.  They called a facial trama surgeon.  He was great.  They had to kind of undercut the wound to make sure it didn't pull taut.  They said the same thing - vaseline is your friend.  I was wondering about calendula oil or lavender on the surface once/day.

The second experience was great.  The first was ridiculous.  Who makes an ALS patient with a head wound get herself in a chair and out of the hospital? I had DH but just wow....

That is crazy! I mean, our hospital is teeny, tiny, so it's understandable to me that a hospital wouldn't necessarily have a plastic surgeon available or on call. But I can't imagine them acting like that! 

Speaking of facial scars, I've had a scar right in the middle of my forehead, about an inch long, since I was about two years old. My mom . . . I guess this was an old remedy thing to do? . . . packed it with flour to stop the bleeding. She then called the doctor, who told her to clean that flour out of it! 😂 

[Ausmumof3]

Ouch.  I hope the pain reduces that doesn’t look fun.

[mmasc]

12 hours ago, RootAnn said:

Don't let it scab. That's my #1 advice. Vaseline is one way.

This was exactly what I was going to post. Maybe I saw this on dr dray??? But I feel like I also saw where Vit E is actually not good. And definitely not that BioOil stuff! I do think those silicone patch things can be moderately helpful. 
 

I’m so sorry about this!

[RootAnn]

DH used vaseline but I admit that my go to is "stinky stuff" (calendula). 

[Harriet Vane]

A friend's daughter had to cope with extensive burn scars. She swears by Mederma, and they did twice daily scar massage for a couple years. They also used colloidal silver applied topically, which had a remarkable effect on healing. (Colloidal silver is now used routinely in burn treatment for that reason.)

I have also heard that manuka honey is particularly effective with wound care. 

Someone else I care for deeply has had to have skin cancer patches removed from his head and cheek. His dermatologist specifically said not to use antibiotic creams, but rather use plain petroleum jelly religiously.

 

[Arcadia]

1 hour ago, RootAnn said:

DH used vaseline but I admit that my go to is "stinky stuff" (calendula). 

I use calendula (baby cream). It works better for me than baby aquaphor which works better than Vaseline

13 hours ago, SusanC said:

What about the OTC scar reducing cream, Mederma? One of our pediatrician recommended it for growth stretch marks. It used to be prescription only, apparently.

I tried Mederma and it doesn’t work as well for me. It’s a non-issue for me since I am perpetually in long sleeves tops so no one would see the scars on my arms anyway.

For fresh wounds, as in within a day or two, rolling a peeled hard boiled egg is supposed to help in the healing (kind of act like an antiseptic). 

[lovinmyboys]

Ouch! I’m so sorry you fell and then that you were treated like that. That is shocking to me! I hope you are able to rest.

[Liz CA]

14 hours ago, Jaybee said:

I believe Manuka honey is suppose to be very restorative for wound care. 

 

That would probably be fabulous. I would also use some Jojoba oil. It's a little less expensive than Manuka.

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

I'm so glad you are ok!  That looks like it would have been pretty exciting there for a few minutes...  

I didn't quite finish reading the replies, but I'm not sure this has been mentioned:

KEEP TENSION OFF THE SKIN.  As soon as the wound has closed, use a silicone bandage all day, every day ideally.  Make sure the skin you are going to bandage is relaxed, and apply the bandage by stretching it taut as you stick it over the healed wound.  The silicon bandage should now be bearing the "weight", so to speak, of any facial movements.  You want the bandage acting as the skin, while your skin just lazily chills out underneath.  Ideally, keep this up for 6 months.  You can use expensive "scar away" patches, but you can also just buy silicone tape/bandage on amazon in rolls for cheap.  

While waiting for the wound to close, vaseline or silicone based creams are great for keeping it moist.  

I've read a lot about scar avoidance, and tension seemed to be the key factor.  

 

[Paige]

My DD has had good luck with mederma on her surgical scars. You can barely notice them now but one was very bad at first. It was very bumpy and thick. She'd had an allergic reaction to the dressing and it made everything so much worse than any of her other scars. Hers wasn't facial, but they recommended rubbing it in (massage) after it healed. 

[Junie]

(((Kelly)))

Praying that you heal well.

And now I need to go up my Tai Chi game, because I have poor balance, too.  I don't use a walker, yet, but I do use a cane when I leave the house.  Well, I'm supposed to...  I think a fair amount of stubbornness is a symptom of long-term illness.

[ktgrok]

13 hours ago, Bagels McGruffikin said:

That’s not actually that uncommon. My poor stepdad passed out and bashed his face against his shower and tub, and they put dozens of staples in the injury by the scalp. They sutured the fleshier areas, but even my kiddo who just split his scalp had staples in. It’s not attractive but not uncommon to hold the initial healing.

Oh, for scalp, sure. Hair will hide the scar. And honestly, a small injury on a boy I might not be too worried - small scar gives character and is mysterious, right? But a woman on her FACE? Front and center of the forehead? Nope. Surgeon. It's not even the staples/sutures issue as much as the need to get the skin lined up right issue and you need a specialist for that. Not an ER doc of all trades. 

[Liz CA]

21 hours ago, BlsdMama said:

Funny story that.

We went to the local ER.  I requested a surgeon.  They said no.  They said staples.  I said no.  They said stitches, PAC.  I decided to leave, they said no.  I called down to the University hospital - they have a surgeon on call.  We did leave.

Get this:
While it was not "friendly," it was civil.  I was just firm that I *would* have a surgeon repair this.  They brought me a wheelchair and I was on my own - no help into the chair, no help out, nothing.  I've NEVER experienced that kind of treatment.  Kind of a, "Well, there's the door..."

We went to the university.  They called a facial trama surgeon.  He was great.  They had to kind of undercut the wound to make sure it didn't pull taut.  They said the same thing - vaseline is your friend.  I was wondering about calendula oil or lavender on the surface once/day.

The second experience was great.  The first was ridiculous.  Who makes an ALS patient with a head wound get herself in a chair and out of the hospital? I had DH but just wow....

 

Good for you for being assertive!!! It's a shame that in our most painful and vulnerable moments we have to still advocate for ourselves and cannot rely on others to do the right thing.

What did you fall on to leave such a shape - if I may ask. I hope you have someone there to pamper you for the foreseeable future!

[Syllieann]

Ditto the silicone.  My youngest had 13 stitches on his face last year and the silicone was recommended by er doc, pedi, and my uncle, who is an urgent care doctor.  I found the tape much easier to work with than the gel and it has the added bonus of blocking the sun.  Two tips...first, when they remove the stitches use steri strips to give extra support and reduce the risk of the wound reopening.  Second, when you apply the steri strips, or later the silicone tape, dab some super glue at the edges to help is stay on as long as possible.  

[alisoncooks]

If you tend to be a slow healer, definitely advocate for steri-strips if needed, when the stitches come out. A few years ago, I needed 12 stitches on the tender inner wrist area. When the stitches were removed (at the recommended time), the wound still gaped. We *should've* used strips but the nurse dismissed it (as it "should be healed now"). Well, the scar is super wide where it did so much healing after the stitches were removed. On the flip side, when I had ACL surgery, the surgeon used steri-strips for the incision site and they stayed on a while. That scar is very thin and clean now. 

[ktgrok]

2 hours ago, alisoncooks said:

If you tend to be a slow healer, definitely advocate for steri-strips if needed, when the stitches come out. A few years ago, I needed 12 stitches on the tender inner wrist area. When the stitches were removed (at the recommended time), the wound still gaped. We *should've* used strips but the nurse dismissed it (as it "should be healed now"). Well, the scar is super wide where it did so much healing after the stitches were removed. On the flip side, when I had ACL surgery, the surgeon used steri-strips for the incision site and they stayed on a while. That scar is very thin and clean now. 

Can you use steristrips over stitches? I'm just wondering, as I have a mega scar on the back of my knee from where I had skin cancer removed. There was just SO much tension on the skin even with sutures, and definitely after. (plus I had a reaction to the sutures themselves..sigh. You can see an individual dot of a scar where each stitch went through my skin - so a line of scar dots on either side of the larger incisional scar)

[alisoncooks]

1 hour ago, Ktgrok said:

Can you use steristrips over stitches? I'm just wondering, as I have a mega scar on the back of my knee from where I had skin cancer removed. There was just SO much tension on the skin even with sutures, and definitely after. (plus I had a reaction to the sutures themselves..sigh. You can see an individual dot of a scar where each stitch went through my skin - so a line of scar dots on either side of the larger incisional scar)

I have those dots from sutures, too. Crazy. 

[MercyA]

I'm so sorry. No suggestions but will pray for speedy and thorough healing. 

[BlsdMama]

On 9/4/2020 at 9:46 PM, Arcadia said:

I use calendula (baby cream). It works better for me than baby aquaphor which works better than Vaseline

I tried Mederma and it doesn’t work as well for me. It’s a non-issue for me since I am perpetually in long sleeves tops so no one would see the scars on my arms anyway.

For fresh wounds, as in within a day or two, rolling a peeled hard boiled egg is supposed to help in the healing (kind of act like an antiseptic). 

@Arcadia - do you remember the name brand you used? I have a preference for calendula cream/oil.

On 9/5/2020 at 7:19 AM, Monica_in_Switzerland said:

I'm so glad you are ok!  That looks like it would have been pretty exciting there for a few minutes...  

I didn't quite finish reading the replies, but I'm not sure this has been mentioned:

KEEP TENSION OFF THE SKIN.  As soon as the wound has closed, use a silicone bandage all day, every day ideally.  Make sure the skin you are going to bandage is relaxed, and apply the bandage by stretching it taut as you stick it over the healed wound.  The silicon bandage should now be bearing the "weight", so to speak, of any facial movements.  You want the bandage acting as the skin, while your skin just lazily chills out underneath.  Ideally, keep this up for 6 months.  You can use expensive "scar away" patches, but you can also just buy silicone tape/bandage on amazon in rolls for cheap.  

While waiting for the wound to close, vaseline or silicone based creams are great for keeping it moist.  

I've read a lot about scar avoidance, and tension seemed to be the key factor.  

 

He said this exact same thing.  Once it was numb, he cut underneath the skin along the cut.  DH said it was pretty creepy to watch.  He worked until he had a loose flap and then stitched it back together to reduce the pull.  How healed should it be before using it? For example, are there worries of it adhering to the wound if I use it too soon? I like the idea of using it to keep it from sun exposure for a while.  I'm so bad about sunblock or hats and I guess I'll just have to get good at it - but I spend a lot of time outdoors.

On 9/5/2020 at 8:10 AM, Junie said:

(((Kelly)))

Praying that you heal well.

And now I need to go up my Tai Chi game, because I have poor balance, too.  I don't use a walker, yet, but I do use a cane when I leave the house.  Well, I'm supposed to...  I think a fair amount of stubbornness is a symptom of long-term illness.

@Junie
Just something to keep in mind - most of my falls were before my rollator when I was using a cane or a forearm crutch.  I hated switching because to me it really symbolized a new level of need/dependence/progression, but I am so grateful I switched.  The rollator is prettier, lol, it has breaks for going down an incline, but the support is far more.  I agree, stubborness goes hand in hand with chronic illness.  Learning to just say, "Thank you," instead of, "That's okay, I've got it," has been hard.  Asking for help is harder than I like, but getting better.  

Truly, I should probably be in the chair full time, but there will always be the transfers.  And I had been in the chair part of the day - why my legs were so stiff that evening.  I got out, pivoted, and misjudged the distance to the bathroom door in the dark.  I leaned in to it and when it was further, I needed my foot to move ahead to balance the shifting weight.  My brain agrees this is reasonable, my legs say, "Take a hike, lady." 

20 hours ago, Ktgrok said:

Oh, for scalp, sure. Hair will hide the scar. And honestly, a small injury on a boy I might not be too worried - small scar gives character and is mysterious, right? But a woman on her FACE? Front and center of the forehead? Nope. Surgeon. It's not even the staples/sutures issue as much as the need to get the skin lined up right issue and you need a specialist for that. Not an ER doc of all trades. 

Yes!

19 hours ago, Liz CA said:

 

Good for you for being assertive!!! It's a shame that in our most painful and vulnerable moments we have to still advocate for ourselves and cannot rely on others to do the right thing.

What did you fall on to leave such a shape - if I may ask. I hope you have someone there to pamper you for the foreseeable future!

Technically I landed on my elbow!  Unfortunately, my head caught the lever handle on the bathroom door on the way down.  Funny thing, it wasn't really that hard - I  think it was the angle and force. 😞 The swelling today is better but I have two black and swollen eyes from the drainage.  The family reunion should be a good time.
 

18 hours ago, Syllieann said:

Ditto the silicone.  My youngest had 13 stitches on his face last year and the silicone was recommended by er doc, pedi, and my uncle, who is an urgent care doctor.  I found the tape much easier to work with than the gel and it has the added bonus of blocking the sun.  Two tips...first, when they remove the stitches use steri strips to give extra support and reduce the risk of the wound reopening.  Second, when you apply the steri strips, or later the silicone tape, dab some super glue at the edges to help is stay on as long as possible.  

Great idea to use that for the added bonus! ❤️ 

18 hours ago, alisoncooks said:

If you tend to be a slow healer, definitely advocate for steri-strips if needed, when the stitches come out. A few years ago, I needed 12 stitches on the tender inner wrist area. When the stitches were removed (at the recommended time), the wound still gaped. We *should've* used strips but the nurse dismissed it (as it "should be healed now"). Well, the scar is super wide where it did so much healing after the stitches were removed. On the flip side, when I had ACL surgery, the surgeon used steri-strips for the incision site and they stayed on a while. That scar is very thin and clean now. 

He ended up using a dissolving stitch.  He said opinions vary - that stitches that need to be removed tend to look slightly more aesthetically pleasing but that the dissolvable tend to offer more support, so there's a tradeoff? It was interesting.  He gave me my choice, but I deferred it to him.  Thanks for the added information. ❤️ 

15 hours ago, Ktgrok said:

Can you use steristrips over stitches? I'm just wondering, as I have a mega scar on the back of my knee from where I had skin cancer removed. There was just SO much tension on the skin even with sutures, and definitely after. (plus I had a reaction to the sutures themselves..sigh. You can see an individual dot of a scar where each stitch went through my skin - so a line of scar dots on either side of the larger incisional scar)

Right now it's not tight except at the scalp where he didn't scrape under the wound - so I can only imagine how much it would have pulled if that hadn't been done!! Our youngest has the exact same individual dots under his eye where he got a few stitches too!


Overall, it's looking better.  The swelling and bruising of my eyes is CRAZY.  Yesterday one of the eyes swelled completely shut.  Today is better but the swelling is moving down beneath my eyes - now I have squinty little pig eyes.  

[Arcadia]

1 hour ago, BlsdMama said:

@Arcadia - do you remember the name brand you used? I have a preference for calendula cream/oil.

Weleda. I use the baby range as baby products are under more stringent controls generally. I buy from Whole Foods or Sprouts when they have their line drive sales. 

[melmichigan]

When my DH was recovering from facial surgery the plastic surgeon said petroleum jelly was all he was allowed to use to keep the scarring to a minimum.  The swelling to the face is unreal be it surgery or injury.  

I'm so sorry this happened and hope you have a quick recovery.  To those where this may apply: I tried out an Alinker at the doctors office the other day.  They are really cool and definitely something that will be part of my toolbox.  

 

Edited September 6, 2020 by melmichigan

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

4 hours ago, BlsdMama said:

He said this exact same thing.  Once it was numb, he cut underneath the skin along the cut.  DH said it was pretty creepy to watch.  He worked until he had a loose flap and then stitched it back together to reduce the pull.  How healed should it be before using it? For example, are there worries of it adhering to the wound if I use it too soon? I like the idea of using it to keep it from sun exposure for a while.  I'm so bad about sunblock or hats and I guess I'll just have to get good at it - but I spend a lot of time outdoors.

 

 

You want the skin to have closed.  I do think the concern is adherence leading to re-opening the wound.  Also, you can leave a silicone bandage on for multiple days, but you wouldn't want to do that if the wound were still open, as you need to be able to check for infection daily.  As soon as the skin is closed, bandage it up and leave it alone.  

You can even wash ScarAway bandages and other silicone tapes and dry them and reapply them once or twice.  Again, this is only hygienic if the wound is closed.    

 

It seems that when a wound is regularly under tension, the body says, GET THIS HEALED FAST, THIS IS A CRITICAL LOCAION!  And lays down collagen all helter-skelter, anything to get the injured area back up to full strength as quickly as possible.  When the wound does not detect tension, it figures it can go about repairing in a much more orderly way, laying down collagen slowly and smoothly.  

 

 

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

I'm guessing with a giant bandage on your head, hats and scarves will be your  new best friend.  🙂  

Or maybe you like talking to people in the check-out line...  🤣

Edited September 6, 2020 by Monica_in_Switzerland

[BlsdMama]

23 hours ago, Monica_in_Switzerland said:

I'm guessing with a giant bandage on your head, hats and scarves will be your  new best friend.  🙂  

Or maybe you like talking to people in the check-out line...  🤣

LOL  - we had a reunion this weekend.  Thankfully all close family.  My black eyes from drainage are SO much worse than the wound.  I cannot believe how nicely this has closed up already.  I am pretty thrilled with how it looks right now.  The eyes are a great diversion from the cut, lol.  The vibrancy of the color is amazing but already turning yellow/green so hopefully gone quickly.   I seriously look like I got in the fight of a lifetime and lost badly.

Edited September 7, 2020 by BlsdMama
Pic

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

12 minutes ago, BlsdMama said:

LOL  - we had a reunion this weekend.  Thankfully all close family.  My black eyes from drainage are SO much worse than the wound.  I cannot believe how nicely this has closed up already.  I am pretty thrilled with how it looks right now.  The eyes are a great diversion from the cut, lol.  The vibrancy of the color is amazing but already turning yellow/green so hopefully gone quickly.   I seriously look like I got in the fight of a lifetime and lost badly.

 

Impressive!  Both the terrible black eyes and the great wound healing!  😂

[ktgrok]

Wow! My DD has a bruised eyelid and I thought that was impressive (looks like she has purple eyeshadow on) but you win, lol!

[ashfern]

I used frankincense on my surgery scar on my wrist.

[mum]

I haven't read all the replies, so apologies if this is a repeat. I had reconstructive surgery on my nose 2 years ago for medical reasons (apnea, deviated septum, ete, etc). Because of the extent of the surgery, I was referred to a high-powered plastic surgeon in the swankiest part of Silicon Valley, in California. REALLY upscale. Mostly ultra high priced elective cosmetic procedures. The practice took a few surgery-for-medical reasons patients, like me. And our insurance paid 100%! But anyway, all that to say, this is a doctor that people are paying out of pocket for facial plastic surgery. He had a whole post-op protocol for treating the scar, I wish I could remember more of it. Two things I do remember- arnica gel in a roller ball applicator for bruising. And Strataderm gel for the scar itself. I'm guessing the product has instructions on how soon after surgery it can be applied. 

Best wishes!