Incision/scar care

[Michelle_P]

How did you all care for your incison/scar after surgery? When did you start applying Vitamin E or other creams?  I found a Vitamin E stick at the drugstore, but wasn't sure if I should use it or not.

I have my incision and then a  small 'bonus' scar below it where my drainiage tube was in for 5 days post-op. So I want to do whatever I can to minimalize scarring.

Thanks a bunch!

Healing to All,
Michelle

[Michelle_P]

Thank you all so much! I now have Vitamin E and aloe gel that I am applying daily, will get Vitamin D3 and silicone patches on my next trip out.  

My scar seems to be a bit longer than most...it's about 6 inches, but it is pretty thin and smooth expect for one small bumpy place near the end. Hoping that will smooth out.

I appreciate all of the excellent advice and help you each have given me:).  Shannon- your scar does look great!

Healing to All,
Michelle

p.s. Just noticed that I misspelled 'drainage' in my original post....that's gonna drive me nuts...LOL.

[juliva]

Wow" Shannon828! Your incision looks awesome! I used the silicone stuff my Doctor recommended Kelo cote I think it was called and I didn't see much happening. I just ordered me some Bio Oil to add to my use. Thanks!

[lb150906]

I used bio oil on mine, its brilliant and no one ever notices my scar unless i tell them.

[Smilerdeb]

The Aussies here swear by natural Aloe Vera and the plant extract inside the stalks is used for just about any cut, graze, burn etc.
I had full open shoulder surgery a few ago and used pure aloe vera and swear by it.
I heard that even the USA Hospitals are using it on patients with scars and burns and are growing it on the hospital grounds.
Forget the chemist creams...go for Aloe Vera Gel.

[shannon828]

I was obsessed with not having a visible scar.  I used an infrared light machine immediately following my surgery and then, once the wound was closed up I used Bio Oil (a few times a day) and slept with Silicone scar patches at night (NeoSporin makes some).  My scar is barely noticeable (I have a pic from this summer in my profile).  Half of the incision got infected and that is the only side you can see, the rest you literally cannot see unless you are really looking for it.

[hope4thegoodstuff]

I  was on day 10 when my bandage came off.  There were no open wounds, there were some (scabs for a lack of a better word) but much of those were starting to be loose to fall off on their own.  My daughter got me some vitamin e oil and another thing she got was from the lotions isle of the local wally world.  It is a 100% aloe gel.  It's green with a light sent.  So I use the E oil morning and night and if it feels tight during the day, I use the aloe gel.  Surgeon was very pleased with the way things look.  I am on day 18 (holy cow time is passing so fast) and it's just waiting time until the scar flattens out and gets smaller.  I'm guessing that takes time.  I do have some fluid that creates some swelling.  Surgeon offered to insert a needle and take some of the fluid off.  I asked if that was necessary, it seemed to be getting better on its own, and he said that it will eventually just absorb so I didn't let him do that.  Now I wished that I would have....so keep that in mind.  

[898]

Vitamin D3 should help

[juliva]

My scar began to become hypertrophic (not sure of spelling) rope like and thicken in the center about one inch in length so I went to my Dermatologist and she injected steroid directly into the scar tissue (pretty painful) it helped for about 4 weeks then started to form again so now I apply a prescription steroid cream which is really melting and smoothing it down. I did the Vit. E about 10 days post op.

[ChitChatNine]

I still have the bump from that darn drain.  But 5 days is a bit early to put creams, etc. on it usually.  You can ask your Doc at your followup.  Vit E should be ok, but I'm not a Dr.   I couldn't use any of the scar creams .. they all burned .. that was even 8 weeks post op!   You may want to do a community search because I think there are some posts with ideas that I recall over the past few years.

Eventually it does fade; but now it is raw and ouchies looking I'm sure!

Oil is good of some sort ........and SUNSCREEN is a must for the first year (after the iniital recoup period) .. I kept a lip balm in my pocket!

C~
partial TT 1/07