[tango2150]

does anyone know of anything you can put on scars to make them disappear quicker? possibly something you dont need to go through a doctor to get.

[oofti]

I think that Retin-A (tretinoin) was supposed to be able to do this, but it is not something to mess with without a doctor. Besides, I don't think it works very quickly at all. Are the scars on your face (from acne)?

[tango2150]

there SI scars

[oofti]

Well, personally I have plenty of acne scars which I hate, but have gotten used to. It might not be that comforting to think about, but I would prefer my scarring to be someplace else besides my face. Another interesting point of view is this: when I was younger, I thought that scars on my legs from bicycle mishaps were ever so cool that I was actually sorry to see them fade. I guess what I am trying to say is that your perception of those scars is what counts. Have you ever listened to Joe Henry? His best album, Scar, is a masterpiece. There is plenty of poetry in scars, not just shame.

[h0kie]

There is a product called Mederma which I believe is over the counter and is supposed to help scars heal faster/better.

[hereiam]

oofti - sometimes, however, the scars inflicted upon ourselves through SI only produce shame. i have three scars on my thigh, horrible looking scars, that are so prominent i see them everyday. i can't just pass over them. i wish so badly to get rid of these scars, but i cant afford the over-the-counter meds that could do it.

all im saying is while you're right - some scars can be poetic - most only elicit feelings of shame, embarassment, and anger.

[ickydog2006]

hereim...I know how you feel. I wasn't sure how to say it but you did a very good job. My scars bring back memories. Memories I long to forget, but can't. It makes me remember the person I use to be....the person I'm scared of reverting back to.

[oofti]

hereiam & ickydog,

i do understand what you both mean. i haven't inflicted cuts on myself, but i recently broke my own hand and now feel pain and cramps in it that won't let me forget my shameful self destructiveness. not to mention that it is a bit misshapen now. i also have had a tendency to destroy paintings that i had worked on for quite some time which was terribly painful. curiously, my paintings have become positive symbols for me because i was able to repair them and still think they are beatiful, but i recently had a gallery pass on the 'scarred' ones. my self destructive reaction (in combination with other problems i have, was to give up completely with that gallery)

my hand, however, is a awful reminder of my tendency to sabotage myself... not that i don't have reminders at work, etc. i can't think of a way to attach any positive memories to my hand, but if i do, i'll post them here. with regards to my acne scars, i literally stopped looking in the mirror for years (except in a 'quick glance' type way), which has probably had good and bad results. the good being that i don't really think much about other people's opinion of my face these days. however, i have nothing but horrible memories attached to my facial scars (of rejection, shame, embaressment, etc.)

i guess my only real suggestion regarding coping would be to face the bad memories instead of avoiding them and try to transform them if you can. when think of myself sobbing in the emergency room wondering if i would be able to paint and draw again thanks to my outburst (my hand was quite smashed), it definitely gives me a chill and makes me a bit sick to my stomach, but i am sure glad not to be there now. i am glad that i have the strength not to destroy myself right now and i need to remember to give myself credit for it. hang in there!

[hereiam]

ickydog...I feel the same. Everytime I see my scars I'm afraid of becoming 'that' person again. The person who didn't care what scars came of it, or what happened, or how deep it was or wasn't. The person who just didn't care. It's scary to have that constant reminder on your body.

Oofti - The thing is, while your suggestion is good, some of us have already done that. We've faced our bad memories instead of avoiding them. The problem is, continuing to have the scars does nothing but add stress and embarrasment to my everyday life. Keeping the scars there will do me absolutely no good, no matter what, no matter how hard I 'transform my memories'. Scars are scars. And people ask questions. The difference between acne scars and SI scars are that acne scars aren't your fault. Many people have them, and decent people will understand. But with SI scars, people question what they are, where they came from, how you got them, etc etc. SI scars are just different. I'm not trying to lessen your situation, I'm just saying that they are two different things, period. Don't take this at anything except face value, because I say what I mean and mean what I say. While the emotional and psychology damage of the scars we have could be the same, it's the aftermath that's different. It's how OTHERS react...with that "Oh...what did you DO to YOURSELF? God what is WRONG with you?!" Do you see what I mean? That's why it's important for us to rid ourselves of these scars.

Atleast, that's what it is for me.

And you're right - you do deserve credit for not destroying yourself! You hang in there too. We're all rooting for each other.

[CompGeek]

I have heard that viatmen e helps.. you can get it in cream form at stores like walmart.... Im not really sure if it works though

[oofti]

hereiam - yeah, i do see your point and am actually a bit more attached to this subject than i've let on so far. my 'high school sweetheart' used to cut the back of her left arm with a razorblade. not long after we had been together she stopped doing it permanently. i honestly can't remember what her scars looked like (they definitely faded over the years), but i do remember that they bothered her for a while after she had quit. i guess she was lucky that she could pull her sleeves down if she really felt that she needed to. i haven't heard from her in many years, but she definitely made a complete recovery from the behavior, so don't give up hope.

Just a caution: i tried vitamin e years ago and learned that vitamin e and a can both help your skin heal, but both are also more dangerous than you'd expect vitamins can be since the body can't eliminate it as fast as you can add it in. basically, topical applications are a better idea than pills.

[hereiam]

is there anything cheap?

[tango2150]

what about help availibly in the UK, that mederma looks kinda hard to get a hold of. i cant order internationally.

[oofti]

A few possibilities discussed here:
http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/2534.html

[jetblackaura]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
tango2150 said:
what about help availibly in the UK, that mederma looks kinda hard to get a hold of. i cant order internationally.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">

I have a bottle of stuff called Bio Oil that I got over the counter for a burn that happened by accident - it was pretty big and that stuff has made it alot better - it's not gone but it's ALOT less visible.

I think it was about £9 or so. And i've used it on SI scars and it's helped those too. You can use it by putting some in the bath/or just rubbing it on. AND it lasts for AGES.

[tango2150]

where do you get it? im in cumbria. is bio oil its shop name?

[jetblackaura]

I got mine in Tesco pharmacy, and yes Bio Oil is it's name. They had to order some in for me though, because they didn't have any left. But if you go to any pharmacy they should know it, if not have it. I went to Boots, but they didn't seem to have anything apart from really expensive scar reducing plasters.

[Gracey]

If you are looking for a really good cover-up product, the best I have found is by Sally Hansen. . .that Totally Legs or whtaever it is called. Comes in a can you spray on. . .I've found it works quite well for me if I need to "hide" something quickly. You spray it on, wait for it to dry, add a little concealer if you need it, and then another light spraying over it.

[silver_queen]

</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
jetblackaura said:
I have a bottle of stuff called Bio Oil that I got over the counter for a burn that happened by accident - it was pretty big and that stuff has made it alot better - it's not gone but it's ALOT less visible.

I think it was about £9 or so. And i've used it on SI scars and it's helped those too. You can use it by putting some in the bath/or just rubbing it on. AND it lasts for AGES.

</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">
So it definitely works on scars then? Does it make a lot of difference?

[BlueFaith]

Vitamin E does work too. It's not expensive and you can find it mostly anywhere... Wal-Mart, pharmacies, etc. I had to have plastic surgery and skin grafts done due to a very bad burn. The vitamin E helped tremendously. They even have a vitamin E "patch" that lays on the skin (kinda like a band aid with vitamin E in it). I put that on at night and slept like that. I was really impressed. I hope you find something to work for you!

-Jennifer-

[jetblackaura]

Yes it definately reduces the appearance of the scars Silver, the oil had vitamin E in it. I got it specifically for the scar of that burn, but I've used it on other scars, and it's definately worked.

[tango2150]

im gonna look for some of that oil and maybe get some vitamin E cream as well. hope i only have to hid scars, im feeling really low and down need anything new..