Vaccination scars: anyone else have them?

I’ve been wondering: why don't those childhood vaccination scars ever fully fade away? Everyone I know has these deep pits or multiple indentations on their arms, and as they get older, the diameter of the 🤦
just seems to expand.

Melissa Castillo said:I've been wondering—why don't those childhood vaccination scars ever really fade away? Every single person I know has these deep pits or several indentations on their arms, and it seems like they just get wider over time. 🤦

What you're looking at are basically keloid scars, which are a standard reaction to the BCG vaccine used for tuberculosis. It’s a localized response. First, you get a blister, then a small nodule forms, and eventually, you're left with a permanent scar that stays with you for life. Honestly, I'd take a mark on my shoulder over contracting TB and dealing with scarred lung tissue any day. And I'm not quite sure what you mean by "deep pits." 😕

Anyway, if someone actually finds them bothersome, there are ways to fix it...

I don't have them.🤷 My brother doesn't either. But our mom does, for example. I haven't a clue what the deal is, but one thing is for sure: it’s definitely not something everyone has.

I don't have any scars myself—not one. Looking at my records, the BCG section from my preschool years is completely blank, and everything after that just lists PPD results along with the dates and measurements ('89: +8; '92: +11; '96: +15). Since I was born in '83, I suspect plenty of people younger than me don't have any visible marks either. It’s all quite baffling, really... why the discrepancy? 🤷Is that vaccine still part of the standard protocol here in the States?

coppergardener said:I don't have any scars either. On my immunization record, the BCG section for preschool is totally blank, and after that, it just lists PPD with dates and results ('89: +8; '92: +11; '96: +15). I was born in '83, and honestly, I bet plenty of people younger than me don't have scars either. I don't get it. 🤷Is that even still part of the standard schedule here in the States?

Mine isn't empty.🤣🤣
And I was born in '85.🤷

fadedmarlin402 said:Those are what people call keloid scars resulting from the BCG vaccine used against tuberculosis. It's just a localized reaction. First, a blister forms, then a small lump, and finally, you're left with a scar that stays with you for life. I'd much rather have a little mark on my shoulder than deal with TB and scarred lung tissue.

Obviously. My question was driven more by observation than any attempt to minimize anything.

fadedmarlin402 said:I'm not sure what you mean by "deep pits."😕

I've seen cases where those scars look like actual trenches—deep enough to hold a blueberry. They are circular indentations, depressions.😁Kotash?

fadedmarlin402 said:Basically, there is a solution if someone finds it bothersome...

In principle, I consider any unnecessary surgery to be, well, unnecessary. And this is purely an aesthetic issue.

I’ve actually got two scars 😁

One is from when I was just a tiny baby (back in the 😁'85 class!) and the other is from middle school. Remember those reflex tests they used to do? Yeah, back in 7th grade, I got poked again. It hurt so bad! Honestly, having an open wound there is just the worst—ugh, even thinking about it makes me wince. Luckily, the scars are barely even there. The baby one is super faint unless you're really looking for it, but this newer one shows up a little more

My wife is 30 years old, and she has a scar on her shoulder from a childhood vaccination. After all these years, the area has suddenly become inflamed. She’s developed crusting in a circular pattern around the scar, and she's been dealing with this incredibly uncomfortable itching for about two weeks now. Has anyone else dealt with something similar?

If you notice significant scarring on older folks (say, 45 and up), it’s probably not from the BCG vaccine. Back in the 70s, there was a massive measles outbreak across the USA—supposedly brought in by travelers returning from unknown locations, starting over in some remote areas—which triggered a nationwide vaccination blitz. Those were the reactions we saw: intense pain, shooting aches all the way down the arm, and stuff like that. That specific vaccination left behind much larger scars. Compared to those, a BCG scar is barely even noticeable.

hey
man