OT: how to deal with scar/skin damage after an injury

[bfit]

I fell at the end of July while I was running. I had 3 stitches in my chin plus an abrasion. When I had the stitches removed the doctor told me everything had healed well, but it's almost two months since my fall now, and the place where my chin was scraped still has red, shiny skin. It looks worse when I'm warm and/or when I've been exercising, but the skin is definitely different there all the time. It doesn't hurt, and it's not dried out. I feel sort of silly asking the doctor about it because it's obviously healed up and not infected or anything. Also, I don't want to get any kind of plastic surgery or any "procedure" to fix it because if it's cosmetic only I know my insurance won't pay for it. Is there a possibility it will still look normal again? Is there some kind of lotion or beauty product that would help? Should I just cover that spot with some kind of "cover-up" even though I don't otherwise wear any makeup? By the way, it's about the size of a quarter and is at the very bottom of my chin.

[Demeris]

I haven't done this in decades, but in my yoot, I used Vitamin E on small scars to disappear them. I'd open up a capsule and rub the oil in twice a day. I seem to remember it working quite well.

I know that I've seen stuff in the drug store, rather expensive stuff, that's advertised to diminish scars.

[txhsmom]

Originally Posted by Demeris

I haven't done this in decades, but in my yoot, I used Vitamin E on small scars to disappear them. I'd open up a capsule and rub the oil in twice a day. I seem to remember it working quite well.

I know that I've seen stuff in the drug store, rather expensive stuff, that's advertised to diminish scars.

Vitamin E oil is what my surgeon recommended after hand surgery many years ago. He was actually a plastic surgeon mainly, but still did some hand surgeries.

Carol

[DejaDeb]

I recently had a small mole removed, and my doctor gave me a prescription for a topical gel called Recedo -- I can't say the scar is completely gone, but it's only been a few weeks and it dang sure looks better. Ask your doctor about it.

[kat_b]

I've had good luck with Bio Oil. I suspect it's a vitamin derivative.

[aunatural]

I used Quantum Health Scar Reducer on my c-section scar. It helped some but what really helped was time. It was over a year before my scar flattened out and turned back to a normal color.

[beatchica]

I second the use of Bio Oil. It has worked wonders for me. Keep in mind that the healing/treatments process for scars tends to require a lot of extra time for the derma to heal. So being patient with your body is key. The derma on the face in particular is thin and can even take a little more extra healing time. But over time and with Bio oil scars will tend to really diminish and fade.

[BamaTanya]

My daughter had surgery for scoliosis and one of the recovery instructions was to make sure the scar wasn't exposed to the sun while it was healing. 6 mos? 1yr? I can't remember exactly, but I do remember we applied sunscreen diligently in that time.
Mederma was recommended when another of my children got a nasty gash on the playground.
Hope this helps.

[Trixoo]

The absolute, most important thing to do is to keep it out of the sun. As BamaTanya recommended, wear a high grade sunscreen that protects against UVA and UVB exposuren(my surgeon said to do this for a year). If the skin is exposed to sun without protection, it can permanently pigment in a way that is different from your other skin.

Otherwise, as others have recommended, putting vitamin E on it twice daily will help the skin heal faster.

Good luck. And I wouldn't worry about asking you doctor about this issue! I'm really surprised she didn't raise it with you...

[bzar]

i agree w/ what others said about the sunscreen.

regarding not being covered by insurance - i'd still inquire.

i've never been a vain person, but i noticed that on the few occasions when i had something wrong/potentially wrong on my face, the doctor(s) were very sensitive about getting it treated so as to minimize scarring.

i had a lipoma removed from my arm near the shoulder. i had a regular doctor excise the lipoma twice (it grows back every 10 years). there's a noticeable scar - i keep it covered.

about a year ago, i was referred to a plastic surgeon for a lump on my neck. the lump, i believe, came from a pimple or infection in a hair follicle. it was about 5 mm and sort of stuck out like a tiny skin tag. there was a smaller, tinier scar near it. he had a name for it, but i can't remember what it was. it was benign.

he removed it, and you can't tell i even had any scars/lumps there!

so lesson learned was to get a plastic surgeon to do the work if you can!