? About necklaces that camaflouge the scar ???

[ChitChatNine]

??? I've seen in posts many have bought necklaces that help to conceal/camaflouge the incisional scar ... what kind do you buy ?  My scar seems kind of high up to wear any kind of necklace that works to hide it?  Are these cloth chokers of some sort ???

Any kind of necklace draws attn to the incision instead of hiding it ???? so not sure what you ladies have found to work ?

C~

[Deestolie]

hi there,
i have my thyroid removed last year in October so my scar is still pretty visible. At the beginning i was anxious about it but time is a great healer, it really doesn't bother me at all. Further more, on my holidays in Europe this summer i saw some lovely pendant scarves and bought a couple. i think they called Triscava. I now wear one every day, it perfectly covers my scarf, and it is a beautiful accessory.

[mochaskys]

Hi there, I got my thyroid removed 2 years back, and I was a little insecure about my scar at first, but now I don't concern myself with it at all now.  I hope you have found comfort and confidence in your scar but if you are still looking for a necklace to cover your scar, or if there is anyone else out there who can't find a necklace, I would like to suggest a peruvian style necklace.  Sometimes the seller will adjust the length for you, or you could also adjust it yourself.  There are many different styles, and they are very comfortable.  

[ChitChatNine]

Hi,

I am so sorry to hear of your scar and how it's affecting you.  I know it's easier said than done .. but try very very deep inside to believe it's a badge of courage.  I wrote this post 3 yrs ago and it took a year for me to accept this scar and realize it doesn't matter what it looks like on the outside - it's the inside that counts.

I have an awful scar on my shoulder from surgery 25yrs ago and when people snicker behind my back on line at the checkout counter, etc. I turn and tell them I got clawed by a bear .... they have a horrified look ... and the joke's now on them!

C~
1/07

[rita205]

hi,i got a scar in my neck due to thyca surgery and it is as high as upto my ears on both sides........its been 2 years...it hasnt healed because of my skin type ,i have to wear scarves n stoles with anything i wear........weneva i go for shopping i have to frst think that whether a scarf will suit with this kind of shirt,else i wont buy it.....its reali hurtful :(

makes me feel underconfident and very concious.....i dont yet have a boyfriend and with such an ugly and elaborate  scar dont see how i will ever get one...
even a scarf cant cover the higher portions of the scars...so weneva its visible, people ask about it or look suspectingly...i am sick of telling its history to each curious persn i meet...
i belong to a country where summers are longer, so its very uncomfortable to alwys cover up my neck in such hot n humid climate...
where other gurlz luk pretty in difrnt types of shirts, i have to alwys cover up, making evn the prettiest of dresses luk ugly...
doc doesnot evn knw if my scar will go aftr a plastic surgery as my skin is of such tendency...i'm very depressed :(

[blsdnsvd]

I had my TT approx 4wks ago...and i tell everyone after showing it off, that my scar is beautiful and it is not too noticeable at all! I actually posted a pic on my profile page and it is at the very bottom of my neck and in the crease. I've always had rolls in my neck and because of the "thyroid" it was very noticeable....now that I don't have a thyroid, I do notice that my neck looks smaller. I do not hide my scar anylonger, but to protect it from the sun and cold. I must say: that i love it!  

[choirgirl]

I know what you mean about the scar.  It's been two years since my surgery.  My scar is in a crease in my neck - pretty much in the center of my neck.  I didn't wear necklaces for years because the goiter was so pronounced.  When I had the surgery, boys I taught in my class would actually cringe at the scar.  I actually felt pretty proud.  I felt brave and strong.  It's a wound I wear with pride.  Now that it has healed to the point that no one notices it anymore, I'm kind of sad.  The reminder that I won the cancer battle isn't so prominent.  I wear necklaces more often and am proud of my "skinny" neck now that the goiter is gone.  We've come a long way.  Now I have some new scars from a recent hysterectomy and am awaiting the pathology results.  I won't be showing them off any time soon ;)
choirgirl

[redheadaussie]

You've come a long way woman!  Hardest part of the  journey is the first step, 2nd hardest part is looking back at how far you have come, 3rd hardest part is accepting you took the journey and never had a choice! Then comes acceptance. I think you are at that part of the journey where you are sitting at the railway station, waiting for the next destination, which may well be; Home, and home is comfortable and we accept it to be our own.
    
My scar is a double whammy, two surgeries in 5 months! ....being so fair, people do notice it, I hated it at first, but now I see it as an opportunity to bring out this rotten misunderstood, little public awareness and certainly oft ignored problem of Thyroid Disease!
   So, all those years ago, when you wanted to hide your scar, look at it now as a means to educate and help even more people than you have here on the forum! Your work is valuable!!!!!
Cheers!

  

[ChitChatNine]

This post brings actual tears to my eyes .. for real.  Look @ the date .. and look how far I've come since then 3 yrs later.

Just this past week, I bought a beautiful silver butterfly necklace strung with fake pearls and it was only $5.00 at the store called The Avenue.  When I got home and put it on with an adj. chain and I thought back to this very same post and am just amazed it is here in front of me to show me how far along I've come.

There were and still are times I choose to hide my scar of courage and this necklace is just perfect and so close to my heart reminding me of my strength and courage and support from ALL my friends here at MedHelp.

I am doing well .... no more nodules ... all cancer markers clear ... I am healthier and happier than before going through this experience in my life and helping others is what it's all about for me.

:)

C~

[Smilerdeb]

I agree with MJ 13 - be proud of your scar.
I dont have a TT scar on my neck as mine was done under the armit but I do have an 8 inch scar (operated twice in 12 months) on my shoulder where a titanium plate was put in and shoulder reconstruction done.
This scar stands out when I wear singlets and I dont give two hoots.
I am who I am ...scars and all and it is part of ME.
I remember when I had the first op and I would never wear singlets then one day , I thought to myself...Hey, if people dont like it , then stiff!
I am the one who wears the scar NOT them.
Be proud of who you are, the battles you have been through but most of all be proud of that scar and that you made it through it all.

Dont hide who you are.

Because inside every one of us is someone who has been to he// and back and got the 'tattoo' to prove it.

(I will post the 'pics of my scar when surgery was done in my profile pics album and what it looks like now 5 years later then you will see what I mean.)

[juliva]

I find if I use just a dab of darker powder and lightly touch only the scar using a Q tip (because my scar is lighter then my skin)... then use a big soft brush with a loose tranparent powder
(Blending is key up my neck and down my chest a bit) then my scar is barely noticibable! I'd say it hides my scar by 75%.

I use Sally Hanson Truly Loose Translucent Powder light to med in color. I get it from CVS if anyone is interested.  

[pep88]

Ahh, I remember this thread... The lumps from the drains do go away.  I remember reading that someones doctor suggested massaging the lumps with mederma.  And just massaging them with help break up the scar tissue.  But they go away on their own.  

I'm 8 months post TT.  I have no lumps, and I still do wear necklaces.  Not because the scar shows at all, but because some people who have not seen me post TT, seem to be "looking" for it.  And the ones that are "looking" for it... Well, let's just say that I like to hide it.  So it doesn't satisfy their morbid "looky-loo"-ishness...  

I had one lady, a friend of my husband's come up to me at a convention and look me straight in the eyes and ask "How was I *doing*?"  With that "oh so concerned look", then her eyes went DIRECTLY to my neck...  I felt like I had to *peel* her eyes off of my neck...  

That's why I was wearing, and try to wear necklaces a lot.  So it's not a distraction.  I am me... not my neck.  It's like guys looking at your boobs and not at your eyes...  Sorry ladies, that's how I feel about it.  I am not defined by my boobs or my scar.  Look me in the eyes!

[pixiesmum]

I am finding my scar very difficult...it's been ok in winter but I am getting so tired of polo necks, I have (used to have) a nice long neck, and now it looks like i have been garrotted (sp?) I have very white skin which makes it worse. I havebought some spoty kerchiefs which are ok , although not very me (at 6ft I am not exactly gamine) but I want to wear nice summer frocks and just don't know how. ALso Ihave a project coming up where I need to be filmed for tv, and photographed and meet lots of people and I dread it. I am usually very confident. I wondered if there is make up that could cover it? It's not raised any more so it's just the redness that is the proble. It's just so ...graphic, like I had my throat cut...oh, so I did!!!!!! I feel old and ugly and I know I should feel lucky to have had the opportunity to have this sugery that could save my life but I still hate my scar.

[Chelseapop]

I agree with MJ 13 - be proud of your scar.  It is nothing to be embarrassed about.  If other people don't like it - Stiff!!  Just tell them you hope they never have to have one.  Mine is about 10 weeks old and I have never even thought of trying to hide it. We are each fighting our own war and it just shows you are a fighter with a battle scar.  

[ChitChatNine]

WOW ......... that really touched my heart .... really really really ....

Thanks so much for sharing,

C~

[utahmomma]

Awww - how sweet.  Can your family adopt me?  :-)

[momsi3]

Hi all I have not posted in a while (ever since Feb. when I couldn't get on?) anyways I was pleasently surprised by the whole family one sunday,
(after surgey) with a  beautiful gold and diamond butterfly necklace. They picked it because the butterfly was the shape of a thyroid and wanted me to have something to show they loved me. I wear my necklace not to hide or cover up my scar but to remind me of my family and friends who were there for me threw it all including all of you here who gave me great advise THANK YOU!!!

ChitChat you have been threw alot treat yourself to a necklace that will symbolize your, strength and courage, you used to get threw it all!!

Hope I don't sound to corny but that is my story hope it helps!

Momsi3

[ChitChatNine]

Utah .. tell your surgeon he did a great job placing it low LOL ... mine is above that area so the triple strand works but cannot stand it on the incision yet .. I guess it is that triple smiley incision that has done me in  for a few more weeks LOL ..that darn thing hurts in the AM after moving the neck the day before LOL .. just like the orig. surgery but on a smaller scale basis.

C~

[utahmomma]

My scar is at the base of my neck (crew neck area) and I found a ton of "choker" type necklaces that worked well.  Scarfs and turtle neck sweaters did wonders too.

Oh, the diamonds idea is great.  Maybe we should set up a fund!

[harleykids]

My scar is low enough that I have a couple of three tired necklaces that look quite nice and feel comfortable now that i am 5 weeks post surgery.
I personally enjoy wearing necklaces and I have to agree with Jenipeni in that some days I just don't want to deal with the looks.  My scar is fading nicely but sometimes it stands out more days than not.  Doesn't help that I am 6 foot tall and kinda stand out without any extra attention!
:)
Lee

[Jenipeni]

Oh by the way when I first started wearing necklaces I found that I gradually had to build up the amount of time wearing them each day.  Any irritation and it came off, although it was just minor stuff like a little bit of itching or a tiny bit of stinging.  Irritation was worse on the more humid days too.

[Jenipeni]

My scar is still pretty red and still a bit lumpy BUT after seeing other people's which are a few years old I'm sure it will eventually fade.  Even ChitChatNine's picture with all the extra complications she's been through is less red and lumpy than mine.

MJ13, it's not that I am embarrassed by my scar but some days I just really cannot be bothered dealing with the glances or questions - especially when at work.  

My scar is about 1 to 2 fingers width higher than my collar bones - I find it better to try before I buy as you never know exactly where a necklace is going to sit

I have 3 or 4 different necklaces - I try and stick to beads as then there is no one main point of difference like with a pendent that actually acts to draw your eye to it more.  

I've never been good a tying anything but a chunky winter scarf, so haven't tried a ligher everyday type.  The Autumn weather here is getting cold quickly - I put the heater on for the first time the other day, so scarves here we come!!!

[MJ13]

I wouldn't worry about hiding your scars.  If you had a scar on your face, you wouldn't be expected to walk around with a paper sack over your head to hide it. Be proud of being thyroidless and a thyca survivor!!! If someone has a problem looking at my scar, then they can look the other way.  

[ChitChatNine]

I get irritated with the pressure on it .... even some t shirts still bother it  .. but then again maybe it is the new scar vs. the old one ...... so the beads won't work at all yet unless like you say I build up tolerance!

All my lumps are 95% gone from thyroid scar but not the new one, of course!!!!

I wore the silk scarf as protection from the elements and it soothed me vs. the winter coat zipper thru the colder mos.  Plus, on some days or circumstances where I'm not comfortable talking about my surgery I will wear a scarf.  

Glad to know I'm not alone in that nothing really works except the beads or scarf .. thought it was just me!

C~

[ChitChatNine]

Guess what I own ... somebody bought me an OLD OLD Tiffany silver scarf holder and I have tried to put it into service with my favorite scarf that I own ... I LOVE Coach outlets .... "love to look that is" ...  C~