Hello,

Just wondered if anyone was willing to put up their scar pictures? I'm just interested to see how they look at different stages.

I am 3 weeks post op, so I know that it's not been long but I do have quite a bit of scar tissue around the incision. The nurses have advised me to rub it against the direction of the incision with bio oil for 5 mins, twice per day.... they say this may help it to disperse?

Heres my scar atm (3weeks).... hopefully. hehe


CLICK HERE - My scar 3 weeks on


anyone got any handy scar tissue reduction ideas?

The bio oil is the best suggestion i can give, it helps disperse the scar tissue that forms and helps it smooth out. I haven't clicked on your pic as I still struggle to look at my one year old scar (though my ten year old one is a bit more bearable). I'm not squeamish until it comes to thinking of myself being opened up & operated on.

Hi, I've not had ADR on my neck, I'm booked in on 19 th for an ADR on lumber spine. I have a couple of scars from other procedures and I think yours looks pretty good for a 3 week old one. It looks like it's healing well. Bio oil is the best thing or even virgin olive oil too.

Cx

Hi,

Wow your scar looks good, I had a reaction to sutures so its only the last few weeks that my scar looks normal. My surgery was on 11th January.

I will attempt to upload photo. I use bio oil x2daily when I remember lol.

Lisa x

Thanks, no worries about looking, it took me a while!!

I had the paper suture things removed after 2 weeks and the dressing - I almost passed out with them prodding and poking at it. I felt so sick and couldn't look at it or touch it so I put a dressing back over it for another 4 days and regularly toughed it through the dressing. Then I took it off and I am ok with it now. :) Thank god!!

Good to hear!! I must say it actually looks a lot redder on this photo than it actually is! Must have been a bad light. My main concern is the thickened scar tissue really. :)

I had a bit of a reaction to the sticky part of the dressing but it went down after a couple of days dressing free. Sorry to hear you had such a bad reaction, bet that's not nice at all...it's bad enough having the scar there in the first place! If you could do a pic then that'd be great, I had to use photobucket for mine as you can't upload directly to the site.

Hi Vickie,

Welcome to the forum and thanks for sharing your photo. Your scar looks fine from what I can see; there are several pictures on the forum if you search. My cervical surgery was in 2008 and my post-op thread has a few photos at the different stages and. if you're interested can be found here

As others have said massage is good for reducing the lumpiness of the scar, rolling the skin between your fingers really does help.

Best wishes for your continued recovery

Lynda

Thanks Lynda, I've just had a look at the pics, you healed up really well by the end of it. They have also made me realise that I have been very lucky as I had no bruising at all! It felt very tender and still does a little but it had never actually bruised. You also had stitches to take out, I had no external stitches, just the stera strip things which were took off after 2 weeks.

Thanks for sharing. :) I'll update some more of mine when I get 5 to add to the overall collection.

Hi Vickie, yes I did bruise but it wasn't an issue, my pre-op symptoms were gone and I was happy. My neck still feels as good as new and I'm delighted with the outcome.

Some surgeons use staples to close the wound, others stitches or skin glue and steristrips. Its down to their individual preference and all methods can have great results and end up with a barely visible scar.

I'll look forward to seeing the pictures of your wound as it heals. Did you have a fusion or artifical disc replacement? Not that it matters, as whichever, it seems to have been successful for you.

Best wishes

Lynda

Yes yours has healed beautifully. :)

I have uploaded more pictures into the album so I will just keep adding more in, I think its good to see others. It definitely made me feel like I was doing ok with mine.

The pics are all here > Vickies Scar Photos

I have had a replacement, I do not know the exact specification as yet, I will ask him on Tuesday, I just know that there is no metal and and is made of a very hard resin compound.

:D :D Great photos Vickie, thanks for sharing I'm sure they will be of interest to others. Some people see their scars and think they will be lumpy forever but the vast majority do heal nicely with time.

Yes, that's the reason I asked for others. Mine was very bubbly , like a tube attached to my neck and with not knowing anyone else that has had the surgery you do start to wonder if its 'normal'.

The nurses reassured me but you like to see for yourself don't you?! :)

I will keep adding pics in as the time goes by, i'm doing it for my own records anyway so may as well share.

Your wound is looking really good Vicky!

There are some pictures of my scar, as I had the same level done as you, but 12 months ago - hope these links work!

10 days post op
http://z6.invisionfree.com/adrsupportuk/in...?showtopic=1718

4 wks post op
http://z6.invisionfree.com/adrsupportuk/in...?showtopic=1734

9 wks post op
http://z6.invisionfree.com/adrsupportuk/in...?showtopic=1757

12 months on, when I show people the scar, they say they can't see it until I point it out, including the physiotherapist I saw earlier in the week!

Ooo thanks for sharing! Yours looks very similar to mine indeed. :)

I'm still doing the bio oil rub twice a day, my boyfriend says its getting less lumpy but i'm not so sure. I am getting used to the scar now but its still the first thing i notice when i look in the mirror. lol

Hi Vickie,

I've just reviewed the 6 pictures in the album you linked in a previous post - what an improvement in the healing of your wound!

It is such a clean wound, hardly any scabbing which is fantastic.

The worst for me was having the drain removed, I had one stitch, which came out @ 9 days following surgery - that was ok.

Interested to know more about the disc you've had fitted though at some point?

All the very best for a good recovery.

xxx

Thanks, i'm pretty happy with it.

I didn't have any stitches to be removed, all the stitches were on the inside and just those paper sutre things over the top. I didn't like having my drain removed either, such a weird and unerving feeling. It didn't hurt that much as I was still high on morphine but it kind of dragged... not pleasant. :/

I am going for my 1 month review this evening with my surgeon so I will be getting more details then, I would like to know the exact details for the gadget inside me, I have named him Disco as I hope he will get me dancing again! Sad I know, but if he is going to be sharing my body for the rest of my life he should at least have a name and purpose. hehe! I've decided its male too, as brilliant as women are, men are genetically physically stronger - a good asset for a new disc. hah!

I will post up the details later.

Just uploaded my 6 week picture. Think you will agree when I say its nearly gone!! SO pleased with it. :D

6 Week Pic

Wow amazing! Bet you're thrilled x

this is mine a few weeks post op, it was a lot worse... now you cannot even see a scar

http://gp1.pinkbike.org/p4pb5077086/p4pb5077086.jpg

Oh wow! Without sounding horrified / rude I would have been mortified, initially anyway. I know they practically vanish, but having had no other surgery like it before I would have freaked out! lol The scar was my main concern, I had full confidence in the surgeon abilities etc and the possible risks didn't worry me at all... I just didn't want a huge scar. Didn't like the thought of it 'on my wedding day' etc. Not that i'm engaged or married...but you get me.

I've just uploaded my 7 week picture and mine is nearly gone now, only a few little lumpy bits where the stitches haven't dissolved yet and if I tip my head back or stretch the skin there is a perfect red line where the incision is. I think that will be gone eventually too looking at how well it is healing.

Do you have a pic of it now?

I did freak out which they took the dessing off. So did my kids...... now you really cannot see anything at all as its is a natural crease, my surgeon did a perfect job

ha! I bet they did. Its amazing how it virtually vanishes and glad to hear yours has. :D

My surgeon said men can bruis more because they have greater muscle tone in their necks. It also can be more painful as the muscle sometimes has to be cut, in women it can often be pushed to the side as the muscle isn't as developed.