Skin S.O.S. - Scar Remedies

Cali, Gyn docs decades ago listened to women re: having scars that weren't awful. They started to use a subcuticular stitch that was effectively like a basting stitch or running stitch. The edges are caught with the stich right below the epidermis (skin) and pulls together very nicely. It's absorbable too. The suture sewing material is less tissue reactive too.

Not sure why our breast scars are all over the place as far as quality. We almost all have a Plastic Surgeon involved. Plastics docs reputations are made on quality of how their handiworks look. I worked in the OR with 5 Plastics docs and residents under their tutelage. I know what they are taught. We shouldn't have the scarring that we do.

The section that has pictures of gals with completed work, has pics of exceptional quality. The internet too. BCO too.

Check out the Scar Project it's brutal.

I specifically, after receiving permission to go to the pic section here, chose not too. My scars are so awful. I knew it would create much sadness in me seeing the pics. Putting that in light of what I know of the training of Plastic docs.......very disconcerting. Does not speak well of what the specialty is doing.

I'm the same as you, both my Gyn incisions (C-section and Hyster), are almost invisible. My breasts look like I was put together with horse thread.

SAS - I feel privileged that I got to see the "Scar Project" when it was on tour in Houston. Strange word to use maybe. Yes, it was brutal - but the bravery of those women!!! And the fortitude.

MT - I agree of course, but my PS is a magician. Other than no nipples, you would never know I had surgery. Virtually no scars right across the middle of the front 4 years later. And my derm plastic surgeon is also a miracle worker w/my basal cell skin cancers. I also feel privileged to have such doctors.

Hello, I'm wondering if there's anyone else that gets all kinds of marks on the breast and the midriff below the breast which was operated on after they sleep?

The area below my breast under the midriff seems to of formed kind of a thrombosis of the veins, and it was very painful. The area has not felt normal since surgery. An ultrasound was done, and nothing showed up. Now I'm getting all these strange marks on the breast and on the midriff from sleeping ripples that stay there for hours. A large lump formed on the top of my arm near the bicep during radiation. An ultrasound was done and nothing showed up on it. If anyone has the same situation please share! I'm going to ask the doctors about it, although I will tell you anytime I bring up any kind of symptom, I don't feel like it a clear explanation. When putting cream on the scar tissue I felt a lump above the scar tissue. I did not feel the lump for my CA diagnosis. It was detected on a mammogram. I'm worried about this new lump.

What I find most unsettling is they told me they won't do another bilateral mammogram until year has passed. So how do they know if any of this bombardment of treatment is even working? Also when I first had the mammogram after they took the biopsy, on the same day, they saw that the marker wasn't there. They never even told me they were putting a marker in there!! So after the biopsy they had to go in again to put In another marker. I was so horrified to think that this piece of titanium is in me. They said "oh you could move to Alaska and If you have a mammogram and they have to know with this site was." All I said was "I don't think I'll be moving to Alaska!" If they found it once,they can find it again is my philosophy. I understand these markers can move. Thank you for any information you have on the marks post surgery that are appearing all over my breast and throughout my midriff

Hi, I started using the silicone tape - albeit wayyyy too early because I haven't even started rads, much less reconstruction, but I wanted to use a piece or two to see if I would get any results. I'm not sure if I should keep going, when they're just going to be reopening to put in TE's in 10 months or so, then implants. All along the drs have been saying - "Oh, your scar is healing soooo well." My response is always, "Cut off your boob and put a big red line there and see if you still say that." But in all honesty, I think that tape is working. The funny thing is, the two drs who've actually seen it were like, "What's that?!"

Uh, why am I at "the #1 cancer treatment center in the country" if the doctors don't know about how to make their scars face? When I brought in pure lanolin to my RO appointment for approval, she was like, "What's this? I've never had anyone bring it in." Then when I got home, I was just curious about what was in Aquaphor and besides other stuff and alcohol (which hello!) - it has LANOLIN. This is just a frustration rant paragraph, lol.

I've been using Biocorneum for the last month. Can't say that I see the results though... The PS cut out my wide red post-mastectomy scars at the exchange surgery, so I have thin, but noticeable scars. They are flat. I ran out of Biocorneum today, put on the silicone tape. Also bought Mederma, was about to use it, but it contains methylparabene. Probably not a good idea..

lmcopy2: Ohhhh, coconut oil, I have a jug of that for other things, I may add that to the boob routine for rads. The only problem with the lanolin is that it's soooo thick, it tends to pull on my skin when I put it on, so I just imagine on tender skin it might hurt some. Coconut oil is a little more workable. Another crayon for the box. I can't believe I never thought of it. I'm super scared of rads, too. I start the 10th. I had a meltdown during the consult and even worse during the simulation. I've been putting on the lanolin every night, but I didn't know the area needed to be wayyyyyy bigger, so that freaked me out. But I will be doing everything I need to do, the rest is out of my hands, I guess.

ump

Using Biocorneum. My derm recommended, not my PS. Seems to be working. I also have Bio Oil, I think it's called.

Also, on realself.com, some PSs recommend Embrace, a type of silicon sheeting. I don't know if it works.

SAS - I'll get with the bumping program. This thread has great information.

BTW - I use CeraVe lotion like you use Cetaphil. And no tape without a skin barrier.

I am fairly new to the forum and breast cancer. I am 3 months out from unilateral mastectomy and DIEP flap reconstruction. I was using cocoa butter for over a week and feeling really good about it until bam! allergic reaction. I kind of freaked out too because even on my flap I was getting red raised blotches. I am off it now and giving a few days before putting anything else on. 

My recovery was a little delayed because I had some necrosis issues, all below the flap went deep purple, lots of blistering and draining and seeping which turned finally to scabs and now those are finally gone. However, it did leave me with some thicker scarring. The cocoa butter seemed to help fill in some of the crevasse areas where it was indented. Plus it is still red as is the abdomen scar - though that scar is really thin.

I would like something without chemicals and hopefully something I don't become allergic to. I have coconut oil and can try this. 

Anyone suggesting anything new lately? It seemed like this forum was busy in 2010 but those links no longer work for some of the products.

Thanks!

OkaTrh, read your post several times. I finally calmed down. and deleted my post. You had me excited there for a couple of minutes. The word purple and flaps are not good used in the same sentence.

How many weeks post op? Did the doc give you any recommendation for a scar remedy?

TRH how many weeks post-op and did your doc give you a remedy.

Flap normal color, no seeping, blotches gone, doc was aware of problem? Leaving it alone till all the troubles caused by the cocoa butter is a very good thing.

The redness in a scar takes a lot longer to go away in a flap than a standard incision. In a flap, it's re-establishing new blood supply. Whereas, two skin edges that were cut and brought back together haven't had their blood supply interrupted if the incision is done right.

Cool, A diep person jumped in