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NO! i don't want my scar to disappear! HELP!

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  • NO! i don't want my scar to disappear! HELP!

    hey guys, i know this may sound absurd, but...

    i'm about two months post-op, and my scar is still really visible, but it's faded a lot already, and i'm afraid that it's going to fade away in the coming months/years. how can i prevent this from happening? i love my scar; it's my battle scar, and i want it to be prominent and there forever. i feel like after all i've been through, it's part of who i am and i want it to stay that way. to me, it beats a tattoo any day.

    what can i do to stop the fading? or will it ever totally fade? will it always be red? will sunbathing give the scar permanence? maybe with some healthy amounts of sunlight, i can sear the scar into my back forever. :]

    yes, i know this is totally backwards.

    also, i will get to making a new thread for my recovery progress one of these days, for those of you all who have been wondering how i'm doing. just been dealing with a lot lately though.

    thanks all.

  • #2
    Originally posted by sacket View Post
    hey guys, i know this may sound absurd, but...

    i'm about two months post-op, and my scar is still really visible, but it's faded a lot already, and i'm afraid that it's going to fade away in the coming months/years. how can i prevent this from happening? i love my scar; it's my battle scar, and i want it to be prominent and there forever. i feel like after all i've been through, it's part of who i am and i want it to stay that way. to me, it beats a tattoo any day.

    what can i do to stop the fading? or will it ever totally fade? will it always be red? will sunbathing give the scar permanence? maybe with some healthy amounts of sunlight, i can sear the scar into my back forever. :]

    yes, i know this is totally backwards.

    also, i will get to making a new thread for my recovery progress one of these days, for those of you all who have been wondering how i'm doing. just been dealing with a lot lately though.

    thanks all.
    Hi Sacket, your post made me smile. It sure is a part of who you are and I agree it's better than a tattoo. Most of us would like to see our scars fade and disappear, but I can fully understand why you don't want that to happen.

    I think it depends on your skin type as to how much it fades. I doubt there is a way to influence that much, one way or another. Also, I'd be surprised if it disappeared altogether.

    You're only a couple of months post op, if I remember correctly? If so, I think it's a bit too soon to be getting sun on it. I asked my Dr. at 6 months if I could let the sun on it and he said yes, in small amounts only and definitely don't let it get sunburnt. I holidayed on a Malaysian island (tropics) at 6 months post op and I was in the sun every day and I was careful about the amount of time my back was in the sun. My skin is not fair, it's slightly olivey, and my scar has faded a little, but not a lot, at 16 months post op.

    Best of luck with your scar-saving!
    Surgery March 3, 2009 at almost 58, now 63.
    Dr. Askin, Brisbane, Australia
    T4-Pelvis, Posterior only
    Osteotomies and Laminectomies
    Was 68 degrees, now 22 and pain free

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    • #3
      Sacket,

      I understand about your battle wound. It's a part of your life. We as females generally want our scars to fade. However, if it makes you feel any better, scars usually remain forever. It will probably fade, but it will always have a silvery sheen to it in the proper light. Be very careful about doing anything to make it really noticeable. You must remember that the skin is the barrier to infection. If that scar isn't healthy and ends up breaking down, you could risk infection. May I ask if your scar is wide (keloided) or is it a narrow line? Most surgeons now days try their hardest to make scars less visible after healing, but some people's skin types just tend to form keloids. Keloids look kind of like a red worm sitting on your flesh. After time the redness goes away and so does the bump, but it leaves a very wide silvery line. That's why I asked what your scar looks like now.

      Here's an idea. If your scar does fade away, you could always get copies of your X-rays with your hardware in and silk-screen a lifesize version to the back of a T-shirt. Wouldn't that be awesome?! Make several T-shirts like that so when they wear out, you have plenty more. You could even do before and afters. Before on the front, and after on the back!
      Be happy!
      We don't know what tomorrow brings,
      but we are alive today!

      Comment


      • #4
        It's a little screwy in my estimation, but maybe you should have it tattoo'd on.
        Never argue with an idiot. They always drag you down to their level, and then they beat you with experience. --Twain
        ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Surgery 2/10/93 A/P fusion T4-L3
        Surgery 1/20/11 A/P fusion L2-sacrum w/pelvic fixation

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        • #5
          I had that idea to show how much i been through, my scar is fadeing and it will still be visable
          Kara
          25
          Brace 4-15-05-5-25-06
          Posterior Spinal Fusion 3-10-10
          T4-L2
          Before 50T
          After 20T

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          • #6
            Best of luck with your scar-saving!
            thank you! i won't intentionally sunbathe the scar then. but if it does get a little incidental sunlight, then i won't worry too much about it.

            May I ask if your scar is wide (keloided) or is it a narrow line?
            my scar is really narrow, and it appears to be getting narrower and less red by the day. it is not raised at all. it's flush against the skin. i am also really light-skinned, if it matters.

            the t-shirt idea is hilarious!

            It's a little screwy in my estimation, but maybe you should have it tattoo'd on.
            i never really thought about that, but honestly, if it faded on its own, i probably wouldn't go through the trouble of tattooing it. i'm afraid a tattooed scar would look kinda fake-y.

            coincidentally, i have an check-up with my dermatologist tomorrow for an unrelated skin issue. i will ask him tomorrow about preserving my scar, and i'll get back to you all on what he says!

            Comment


            • #7
              I agree with Linda; have it tattooed so it will live on forever!!
              Age 56
              Wore a Milwaukee Brace for 3 years in hs
              Fused L4-S1 for high grade spondylolisthesis Jan '09 in Indy
              Thoracic 68
              Surgery Aug 31, 2010 T3 to L1
              Dr Bridwell St Louis
              http://www.scoliosis.org/forum/attac...1&d=1289881696

              Comment


              • #8
                Hi Sacket, My scars have always faded, but never completely gone. I'm right there with you, about being proud of the battle wound. It shows how we are all survivors, and the strength it took to do so!!!!!!

                Shari

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                • #9
                  Sacket, I completely understand this too. Scoli. has been a big part of our lives and correcting it takes a lot of courage, the scar is a sign of that -you can be very proud. Also, each summer I've been "scoli. spotting". I've met several people through the years because I've seen the scar on their back. They've always seemed very happy to tell me their story, and I've been grateful to hear it and see how good they look. I hope I'll be able to be that person one day. I've always heard to minimize a scars appearance, keep it out of the sun. So, I guess you could do the opposite.
                  Debra
                  Age 45
                  Pre - surgery Thoracic 69, Lumbar 48
                  Post-surgery Thoracic 37, Lumbar 39 (unfused)
                  Fused T4-T12
                  Milwaukee braced, 11 years old to 15 yo
                  Surgery Sept. 1st, 2010 Dr. Boachie

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