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I have just been told that my chest scar is forming keloids and have been referred to a plastic surgeon for consulting. Has anybody had experience with this after your surgery and has anything besides more surgery helped?
Thanks for your help
Hi Thirgulag, I have recently had my second bypass and my scare is forming keloids at the bottom and most uncomfortable with my bra on......I used Bio Oil on my first scar and was brilliant.....I will use it again on this one but it is only 2 weeks old and quite raw still....But Bio Oil deffinatley helped with my first scar.....You can get it from any major chemist and is quite expensive but you only need a very small amount....I used to use it morning and night after my shower.....You could try it.....Before thinking of more surgery?.....
Yazz......Take care and hope you are feeling well...
I've got a couple of 'bumps' on the scar, but what's keloids, and what's Bio Oil?
The lower third of my scar has also formed a keloid. I started using "Scarguard" about a month ago. It was recommended to my daughter after thyroid surgery. It says results can take several months. My scar does seem to be a tad better and doesn't seem to pull as much. I know that plastic surgeons often inject the scar with a steroid solution reducing the keloid or they sometimes even remove the scar (creating a new one of course). Allie
Bio Oil....Is very good for scars, streachmarks and skin imperfections...It like baby oil but has a lot more herbal ingredients in it....It does help! You can pick it up in any major chemists?...Boots....If you are not in the UK look it up on the net...Its cheaper on there....Dont use it on a open wound...I can't use it on my scar at the moement as the there are scuds etc on there still.
I will try to describe a Keloid....But hope someone can help me after reading this....It is when scar tissue becomes very hard and forms a high layer of tissue over a scar.....I think thats a good description.....My scar is fine until it gets past the bottom of the sturnum it is rock hard and very high and thick for about an inch or so....It's annoying as it starts at the bottom of my clevage and pulls.....I have not even tried to wear a bra as i know that would be unbearable...But from memory of my first bypass....The scars DO heal qutie quick although the inside takes longer....Be patient and no quick moves....
I hope mine will get better ... In the mean time i will be using my bio oil or other creams....I really don't want anymore surgery at the moment.....
I hope you are having a good day ....Small steps mind...
T/C Yazz :)
Hello,
If my scar is thick, red one day and kind of purple some days, is this what you called keloid? I have been wondering for a while now if is normal? Who can take a look at this, your primary or your cardiologist?
I just got back from plastic surgeon. Keloids are thickening formations in the scar tissue that sometimes continue to grow. They are deep pink to red and get easily irritated, or itchy painful. The treatment according to the plastic surgeon would be to first try mederma for at least a month and then if that doesn't help then steroid injections. 1 a month for 3 months. If any of you are having these type of symptoms 3 months or so after surgery then you like have keloids and need some treatment. There is another treatment instead of mederma for women because of lack of hair. since i have a hairy chest it was not feasible for me.
If the steroids do not work then surgical excision of the scar would be the last treatment option.
hope this helps
From your explanations I'm going to assume my bump is not keloids. It doesn't itch or irritate, and it's not pink or red -- it's just a hard bump under the skin along the scar line, about 2 inches down from the beginning.
I've been using vitamin E on my scar. How would you compare that to Bio Oil in terms of effectiveness?
Thanks ..:)
My double bypass surgery was in February. My chest incision has also healed & formed a type of keloid scar ( a hypertrophic scar. It is red, raised and hurts (actually pulls and feels like I've been sewn up too tightly). I went back to see my surgeon and he did tell me he doesn't see this too often. He didn't want to refer me to a plastic surgeon until at least a year after my surgery. It's uncomfortable and I'm hoping its going to get better,the pain has lessened a little bit as time has gone by.I've read that a silicone cream can maybe help. That has been my biggest problem since my surgery!
Hi All.......I can relate to you as from the bottom of my sturnum....cleavage....The scar is very raised.....It seems like they have just sewd over and over the same place....this goes on for a good inch.....It is uncomfortable as my chest pulls on it and i can wear a bra at the moment.....
You can only use Bio Oil on scars which are not open? or still needs time to heal?.....I rub a little on now in the morning and night......The last bypass scar healed so well and nearly vanished but this one is more of a challenge as it is on top of the old scar and i had a few complications where they had to get back into my chest quick......When i first started using bio oil....It seemed to sofen the skin and make it more supple to strech etc....It calms down the redness and keeps it soft. The oil has lots of different healing compounds.....I am using it again on my scar as i think it is that good......If you are out of the uk....Look it up on the net ..... Have a look at the info provided.....By the way it is cheaper on the net and lasts ages....I also use it on my age spots on my face and a few scars....2 have faded so much now and not noticable....
Hope this helps.....Oh bio oil can be used by male and females.....
Yazz.....x
http://www.superliving.co.uk/pharmacy/body-health/skin-hair-nails/dry-skin/ bio-oil-125ml.html
This may help.....x
I can recommend a product not to use - capsaicin cream. A nurse recommended it to me because I always have a stinging/burning sensation coming from where my scar is, especially at night right before bedtime or whenever I sit too long in one place. After just two light applications of the cream I felt as if someone had poured scalding hot water over the entire area. Hope no one else tries to treat a chest scar in this way. Anyway, I suspect the discomfort comes from the wires under the skin, not the scar itself.
Another thing to know I am not alone in! I had my surgery back in January and I have yet to have anyone examine my scar. I am going to ask my doctor to look at in at my next appt in November. From the middle down it starts out looking pulled and then continues down to become raised, wider and almost looks like a vein is running down it in the middle? I don't know .... I guess it really doesn't matter in the scheme of things. I will say though that I need a day to be ( pardon my word..) PISSED about everything, I am tired of not acknowledging those feelings and always pasting a smile on and saying how greatful I am!! Please don't misunderstand I am greatful but I am mad too!!
Hello,I also have the keloid scaring I am two years post surgery. Though I was reopened after 1 hr and was then in surgery for 5 more hrs for bleeding iusses.I have found that.... ___ mepiform tape has begun to soften and flatten my scar which is a doosey.Lots of time and patience ,also if you massage occasionally over the tape which the plastic surgeron sells for $25. I dont know w here else to find it more surgery YEKKKKS is my reaction would like to know if there are more effective options...let me know please!!!
Fogot to say the area under my bra where there is compression looks as if the scapel was lifted and they skipped a spot it totally healed flat and almost is not noticeable. To chin up, I am a single woman who was beginning to feel lonely and thought I should be looking for someone.....that was before.....I am now also PISSED because as an older woman I was proud to know the **girls** were an asset BUT as you said in THE BIG PICTURE I feel gulity even thinking that way!!!I too am grateful and know I and all of us are her now for a special purpose!!!!!!
For Y'all using the mepiform my plastic surgeon said that I should get it on amazon.com as it is much cheaper. It was not recommended for me because of the hairy chest that I would have to shave and the additional irritation that would cause.
Hope this helps
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