Incision scar

[Paleowoman]

Now that the weather is beginning to get better, I find conflicting advice as to letting the sun on the incision scar. My instinct is that the sun is good for healing but I've read in places that it's bad for scars. Is there any definitive advice ? Of course it's difficult to stop the sun getting to the scar at the top end of it.

 

[maisiejane]

Hi Anne,
Everything that I have read states that you should put a sun block on your scar , I found that Palmers sell a scar stick with factor 50, so you get the benefits of cocoa butter, vitamin E and sun protection ☺
Deb x

 

[OldManEmu]

Sun exposure on a scar that is still pink is not a good idea. If the scar is no longer pink it is no more harmful than sun exposure on the rest of your body.
Having had a skin cancer (basil cell carcinoma) removed from my shoulder a few months before my second surgery I would advise against any prolonged sun exposure.

 

[ChicagoMammy]

In our post op notes it says to keep the scar out of the sun for a year. I do recall having read something similar elsewhere. My experience is... I had my first op in late November. I did not shield the scar the following summer. My scar looked great (until the reopened last week). We get a decent amount of sun in Chicago but I was working during the day. Maybe no sunbathing etc. but normal exposure several months later?

 

[Paleowoman]

Sun block it is then !

 

[Mentu]

Anne, I was told the same, that is to avoid sun exposure until my scar had no color. My Doctor has pointed out that the scar will not tan so darker skin around will make even an old scar stand out more. I'm for the sunblock.

Larry

 

[Paleowoman]

I was told the same, that is to avoid sun exposure until my scar had no color.

How long does it take to have no colour Larry ? I suppose everyone is different…..I'm fairly pale to begin with.

 

[Paleowoman]

Just realised another option for when the weather is hot and it's uncomfortable to cover up or use a lot of sun block: a sun-protection umbrella/parasol ! Now to find a good one !

 

[Mentu]

Anne, here are images of my scar. It actually didn't change much for the first three months. Actually, it is of course scars. There is the chest scar and the four small ones which contained the two drains and two pacing wires. The wires are left in the surface of the heart for a few days in case it needs to be jolted although they are rarely used. It did feel a little odd when the tubes and wires were removed but there was no pain at all.



Larry

 

[pellicle]

Anne, here are images of my scar.

nice images ... interestingly I seem to have ad the same 'fattening and flattening' at around the bottom of the scar as you.

 

[Paleowoman]

Hi Larry,

I'm soon coming up to 3 months and my scar looks similar to how yours did at 3 months. No sign of the pacing wire scars but my drain scars seem quite red and raised still - I had no pain at all when they were removed either which surprised me !

 

[clay_from_nj]

So Larry, you shave your chest in the spring for swimsuit season? :biggrin2: (Or is that cos your scar got so light that it no longer needs a ghillie suit to hide under?)

 

[Mentu]

Hi, Clay, I'm not very furry anyway but for the one year photo I thought I would get rid of the hair so the scar was easier to see because it had faded a lot. I find that I sort of miss it being more prominent. At four and a half years, its even less visible than it was at one year except the four little ones still have dimples. The area of the chest scar is much easier to feel because of the "valley" present in the tissue beneath the skin. I assume this is normal since I've had no trouble with it.

Larry