Operations and scars?

Question

I have had an operation done about 4months ago, i would like to know is there anything that will help reduce or hide the scar. it was a thyroid operation which means i have been left with a scar approx about your voice box.
i am still a teenager and this is a nightmare for me as i have become very self aware.
i do cover it up when i go to work i work in a busy place, hundreds of people, i feel very un-ease walking into a room full of strangers with my scar/neck on show.
any advice on reducing or hiding scaring?
Thanks

Answer 1

Try some vitamin E cream, and getting some sun helps but its a bit difficult when its on your nec

Honestly honey if people look its only because something has caught there eye, look at Catherine Zeta Jones did you know she has a scar on her neck

I know it is difficult at your age, I have 3 scars on my face, and I don't even notice them and people just say to me, how did you get those.........

I prefer to just tell people then its over and done with, I think people want some major dramatic story lol

Answer 2

if theyre still healing, then its probably a bad idea. the scar tissue and skin around it will be tender and burn easily. also there arent many nerves left in your scar tissue so you probably wont notice it happening. put a plaster over it or something, itll only leave a small white stripe but its better than a week of pain. on the other hand, if you wait a few months till its all calmed down a bit, tanning can help to fade the scars, blend the skin back into all the same colour. itll never disappear completely, but ive seen the effects and think it helps a bit.

Answer 3

i don't think you will be able to reduce it. As you're only a teen ager, your body is still growing. For now try wearing high neck tops, or even a scarf.

I've had a scar on one side of my chest since i was born. It is half length of my chest. I'm 32 now, and to be honest i 've never been worried. It's also easy yo cover up a chest scar. As for you, i think over time, you'll probably get used to the scar, and become less self aware about it.

hope this helps a bit

Answer 4

It might be too late now but I have had a number of surgeries and I have found that puncturing a vitamin E capsule and pouring it directly on the scar will reduce the scar.

But more importantly, don't be embarrassed about the scar. No one is perfect. We all have imperfections. In time you will realize that the people who are turned off by your scar are probably people who you wouldn't really want in your life anyway.

Be Strong!

Answer 5

Have you tried tattoo foundation that should cover or at least reduce it. I found this on ivillage for you

A cosmetics line called Dermablend is the market leader in make-up designed to cover everything from tattoos to scars, birthmarks and spider veins. There are various consistencies available - from the original Compact Cover Crème (in 10 shades to match the palest to the darkest of skins) to the Leg and Body cover (in 9 shades, this is slightly less thick but will cover larger areas).
What sets Dermablend cover-up apart from full-coverage foundations is that its long-lasting, really opaque coverage formula really 'masks' the skin imperfection or tattoo. It is vital to match the shade exactly to your skin - this may well require buying two shades and mixing them for a customised colour, so be prepared to spend some time applying the product if you want the disguise to be really foolproof.

Answer 6

Vitamin E oil or cream can be applied to the skin in the affected areas, every day .The cream should be applied overnight. Aloe Vera gel and fresh lemon juice can be applied to the scars, so that they fade quickly. You can find more cheap and natural remedies for stretch marks or scars at the link below.

Answer 7

There's a product out there called Mederma I believe that is supposed to help with the healing of scars. My mother taught me that taking a Vitamin E pill, piercing it and with a finger smothing it out over the scar helps. Being it's over the voice box, I wouldn't suggest option number three, and that's using a tattoo to hide the scar. Some people use concealer & makeup as well to hide scars. Clothing can hide it during the winter or simply do what I did. Accept and fall in love with your scars (and the stories that come with them, I always try to find a story for each one that isn’t about the operation. The operation to fix my legs left two scars above my knees on the outside of my thighs, but I tell people about how because the operation placed me in a body cast, the nurses placed my favorite stuffed animal in a body cast too (not a real one, they just wrapped my flopping dog’s legs and abdomen up in gauze). That’s just one example, I have others. Try to think of something that happened while in the hospital or because of the surgery that put a smile on your face. There’s your story to tell about your scar(s) that will have people focused on the story and you and not the scar and the reason it is there.

I have a bunch of scars, so I can empathize with your situation (my first operation scar occurring at age 10). My last one is very visible and embarrassing as I cannot wear a one piece bathing suit, my top is bigger than the bottom so I have to cheat at the store, and mix a larger size top with a smaller size bottom bikini. I have a nasty scar from when we had an intrathecal pump placed into the right side of my abdomen, my body rejected it and it was removed (An intrathecal pump is meant to deliver pain medication directly into the spine, bypassing the liver, stomach and other organs which would normally be used to ingest any med taken orally. After time it can cause damage and an intrathecal pump is meant to circumvent this damage).

I haven't tried Mederma on any of my scars yet because of my syndrome, they tend to fade away on their own after several years and look paper thin. So I don't concern myself with it, in ten years time, they look like what Mederma will do to them anyways.

I understand that it's devastating to you as a teenager to have operation scars; it was devastating to me too in gym when we had to wear shorts (no choice) and I had two scars on both sides of my legs just above my knees for everyone to see. I never got picked because I was "the girl with the gross scars on her legs". People were even afraid to touch me. Kids can be cruel, but realize that in High school, while they can be just as cruel there, this is when kids are maturing and many will be the better person and empathize with your situation. Lots of people have a scar somewhere for some reason. We fell as a kid, a harmless operation, or a serious operation. But I understand wanting to make the scar disappear. Your best bet for now is to try what's on the market like Mederma - and if you feel that uncomfortable with the scar and if you can pull it off, use concealer. Someone at a make-up counter at say Dillard’s or similar stores will be able to tell you and show you how to use make-up to properly conceal your scar if that's what you want. Just don't forget to wash it off nightly and use Mederma according to its package description. Believe me, people will love you for you and not care about your scar, but I understand how it feels to be talking to people and know that they exist, no matter where they are on your body and wanting to do nothing else but hide them (I have a few chicken pox scars on my forehead too, so I can empathize with what it's like with people staring).

I hope these suggestions help, and good luck. Understand there are others our there who have gone through this as well and never feel alone with this. Since you're a teenager, provided your body is still growing and changing, there's a high risk that it'll fade quickly and by the time you're in your twenties, it'll be hardly noticed. It also depends on the color of your skin too, I notice that the darker the skintone, the lighter the scars. So keep that in mind.

Good luck =). I hope everything works out for you.

Answer 8

You should ask the surgeon. There are prescription creams available to reduce the scar's appearance. One of them is Mederma.

Answer 9

Speak to your doctor. In the meantime, be assured that your scar will fade - my friend had an operation on her thyriod and you really can't see any scar at all now.

Answer 10

Mederma is an over the counter cream that fades scars. You can find it in any drug store or walmart.