100's of self injury scars - Keloids

[lizb72]

My daughter has finally stopped cutting herself but is left with HORRIBLE scars and HORRIBLE stares and HORRIBLE comments and judgement of others.  I have searched for a surgeon/procedure that seems promising. I do not want her to be disappointed with the outcome so unless we find an option that will improve the look of her skin, it may cause more harm than good.  I know her right arm will NEVER fully recover as there are about 200 scars on that arm alone (keloid and other).  It looks as though she was burned.  She can live emotionally with the arm.  She is having problems coping with the scars across her belly, breasts and legs.  The belly has a 3 inch purple keloid and few others, the breasts are cut but I am not sure how bad that is and her leg has a few large keloids and a tic tac toe board.  She cut for years and has made a remarkable recovery.  She loves highschool and has not cut for 8 months.  This may not seem like a long time but there were times when I was grateful for a week as it was every day for about 3 years.  Life was a nightmare and I can't even begin to explain how different life was 3 years ago.  I am happy to have my daughter alive.  I am happy to have survived it myself.  But the scars are a constant reminder of the past.  She needs to be free from the past and so do I.  We live in Ft Mill SC and its HOT here.  She wears sweat shirts and pants in 100 degree weather.  We spent our summers on the beach in NY when she was little and we always vacationed by a pool.  She loved the water.  She loved to swim.  Now the thought of it gives her a panic attack and me an overwhelming sense of guilt that she can no longer enjoy the most simple things.  We stood on line last year at an amusement park and she had tied her sweatshirt around her waste.  Moms were starring and whispering to their husbands to look.  Kids were pointing.  I am out of room.  PLEASE HELP.  A SAD MOM

[Howard Rosenberg, MD]

I understand your pain with the scars and stigma associated your daughter.  If you have not consulted with a plastic surgeon, I urge you to do so.  However, to be perfectly frank and realistic, there will be significant limitations to what any plastic surgeon can do to improve her situation and it will be impossible to eliminate the existing scars

[triedeverymed]

A related discussion, My son had a keloid removed was started.