Oziljak

I have a surgical scar on my shoulder. I was wondering what kind of surgical or non-surgical methods might help soften its appearance? Are there specific creams or treatments you would recommend? Does anyone here have any personal experience with this?

Between the sunbathing and using some St. John's Wort oil... my skin just completely lost its way after about four to six hours.

Sunbathing? Honestly, don't listen to any of that misinformation floating around out there! You absolutely cannot expose a fresh scar to the sun. UV rays darken the scar tissue, and once that happens, it’s permanent—it actually ends up looking twice as prominent as it did before. Whether it's hitting the beach or stepping into a tanning bed, just stay away from it entirely. That was the very first thing my surgeon told me following my procedure; I had surgery just two months ago, and my doctor was incredibly firm about the fact that this summer means zero sun exposure and zero tanning salons, even if I'm being diligent about applying high-SPF sunscreen over the area.
I’d suggest massaging the scar with some Voltaren (you can pick it up at any local drugstore without a prescription, it's roughly $27) or perhaps using Scar So Soft. You really need to apply it several times a day for at least a few months to see a difference. Now, I realize everything depends on how deep the scarring is, but in my experience, these methods work wonders, and I truly believe they’ll help accelerate your healing process.

I’ve got a surgical scar too, and even though it’s been over a year, it still hasn't fully faded to that "white" look. I’ve been using Mederma because Voltaren just didn't work for me.

I’m at a bit of a loss... I'm not really down for laser treatment, but are there any other alternatives out there? Since it’s summer and we're heading to the beach, I feel a little self-conscious walking around the shore... 😳
Last year was fine since I could just stick to t-shirts.

(Yeah, the scar is on my stomach, from an appendectomy and an ovarian cyst removal)

So, I’ve had this scar for quite a few years now. It isn't exactly recent, and while its appearance has certainly mellowed out over time, it remains pretty noticeable...
My main issue isn't actually the pigmentation—it blends in well enough with the rest of my skin tone—but rather the actual texture. I suppose I'm wondering if there are any specific treatments offered by dermatologists or surgeons that focus on smoothing out the surface of a scar? 😕

Is there any way to actually fade an old scar? I'm talking about one that's been sitting there for 2 or 3 years now. Is there any cream out there that actually works on something that old?

I had two hip replacements done about two months ago, but I’m still staring at these red scars. I'm looking for a good cream to start applying, but I see some of you mentioning that Voltaren doesn't really do much for scarring... what's the consensus here? What do you guys think?

👍

Mark Cruz3 said:Sunbathing? Honestly, don't listen to any of that misinformation floating around out there! You absolutely cannot expose a fresh scar to the sun. UV rays darken the scar tissue, and once that happens, it’s permanent—it actually ends up looking twice as prominent as it did before. Whether it's hitting the beach or stepping into a tanning bed, just stay away from it entirely. That was the very first thing my surgeon told me following my procedure; I had surgery just two months ago, and my doctor was incredibly firm about the fact that this summer means zero sun exposure and zero tanning salons, even if I'm being diligent about applying high-SPF sunscreen over the area.
I’d suggest massaging the scar with some Voltaren (you can pick it up at any local drugstore without a prescription, it's roughly $27) or perhaps using Scar So Soft. You really need to apply it several times a day for at least a few months to see a difference. Now, I realize everything depends on how deep the scarring is, but in my experience, these methods work wonders, and I truly believe they’ll help accelerate your healing process.

I went through four different surgeries myself... and after finishing rehab and waiting out the required recovery period... the surgeon who operated on me actually told me to get as much sun as possible while applying some calendula cream to the scars (though he didn't mean staying out there 24/7—just an hour or two is plenty). I followed that routine for four months and now you can't even see a single mark. Only people who actually know me can feel a slight trace of the scar with their fingers, but visually, it's gone. Go ahead and tan...

@ Mark Cruz3, you definitely shouldn't be exposing a fresh scar to the sun; I remember one season when I had surgery, and I didn't even think about stepping out into the sunlight until at least six months had passed.

Jerry Sanchez53 said:So, I’ve had this scar for quite a few years now. It isn't exactly recent, and while its appearance has certainly mellowed out over time, it remains pretty noticeable...
My main issue isn't actually the pigmentation—it blends in well enough with the rest of my skin tone—but rather the actual texture. I suppose I'm wondering if there are any specific treatments offered by dermatologists or surgeons that focus on smoothing out the surface of a scar? 😕

There are, specifically laser treatments.
Take a look at the Mayo Clinic website.

Mark Perez2 said:I had two hip replacements done about two months ago, but I’m still staring at these red scars. I'm looking for a good cream to start applying, but I see some of you mentioning that Voltaren doesn't really do much for scarring... what's the consensus here? What do you guys think?

Same here—had a few moles taken off about four months back. I tried using Voltaren, but honestly, I didn't see any difference at all, so I just gave up. They’ll probably fade on their own eventually and stop being so obvious. I even went to the beach and hit the tanning salon a couple of times, and the scars didn't look any redder or more noticeable than before. I've heard Vitamin E creams are supposed to be decent for scarring... maybe check with a pharmacist at CVS or something.

Jerry Sanchez53 said:So, I’ve had this scar for quite a few years now. It isn't exactly recent, and while its appearance has certainly mellowed out over time, it remains pretty noticeable...
My main issue isn't actually the pigmentation—it blends in well enough with the rest of my skin tone—but rather the actual texture. I suppose I'm wondering if there are any specific treatments offered by dermatologists or surgeons that focus on smoothing out the surface of a scar? 😕

I’ve got a nasty scar on my shoulder that’s been hanging around for ages too. I tried using Voltaren, but the scar is just too large, too deep, and way too uneven (we're talking dips and bumps here) for some cream to make a dent in it.

I actually looked into getting it surgically removed, but my doctor, Glumičić, told me that the collarbone and shoulder area is a nightmare for skin grafts. The skin there is just too soft and sensitive, so there's a high risk the graft wouldn't take, which would probably leave the scar looking even worse than before.
He mentioned that the only real option might be dermabrasion, though that doesn't actually make the scar disappear—it just basically "levels" it out with the surrounding skin.

In the end, I just gave up on all the procedures because, honestly, the scar has become my "trademark" at this point.

That said, there are newer methods out there now, so maybe laser treatment is an option. Your best bet is to go talk to a dermatologist or a plastic surgeon; they can look at the shape and where it sits on your body and tell you what's actually worth doing.

Raymond Williams7 said:There are, specifically laser treatments.
Take a look at the Mayo Clinic website.

Raymond, thanks 👍
I suspect I might head over there for a consultation once summer wraps up. Avoiding the sun after treatment feels like a bit of a mission impossible, given how sensitive the scar area would be.
The site is here: www.polyderm.com

Where in Washington, D.C. can I actually find calendula oil? And does it truly accelerate the healing process for scars?
Is it permissible to occasionally cover fresh scars with powder, or what is the best way to conceal them? 😕 😢