Have you folks found any of the "scar therapies" to be helpful? Like Curad, etc.?

Also wondering how you have been treated by medical foiks at the ER, etc.? Personally, the docs have been HORRIBLE and thought that anyone who cuts doesn't need pain killers when they put in stitches. Pain is what we are looking for, right?? Grrrrr......

Thanks, em

[sujunew]

i am currently trialling Bio-Oil. Only been using it 1 week, so no results yet... Tried Wheatgerm oil about 8 years ago but only now have noticed that the scars I treated are the ones that are the most faded.
Stitches with no pain killers?! That's awful. When I got stitches my doc was most concerned that I was comfortable and didn't feel anything. GL

[drunksunflower]

Bio Oil is GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!! Used it for previous thing a few years ago and wow it's fantastic. Can't see anything.

Everything from stretch marks to slash marks.

[sujunew]

that's awesome to know. will definately keep on with it

I have had mixed reactions in the ER. I have had a few doctors that were actually going to sew me up without numbing first. I look at them and say -

I may have a mental disorder and I am a cutter but that is no reason for you to not use something to numb it and if you chose to not numb me then I choose to notify the American Dissability office who governs and investigates discrimination of the physically and mentally ill persons. According to the American Disabilities Act I am entitled to equal health care and treatment that a normal person is entitled to.

Definately changes their attitudes against the mentally ill.

The minute I say that out comes the shot for numbing and boy do they kiss up. -is that tee tight now Im not hurting you am I , if you can feel this just let me know and I will give you another shot. LOL

Scar treatments tried a couple but didn't work so I talked to my family physician and he told me that unless they are used during the actual healing they don't help much if any. when a person cut they are going through various layers and within those layers is pigment cells. when a person cuts the pignment cells they cannot repair and continue to produce the pigment that give a person their skin color. so with out the pigment cells producing pigment you have skin with out pigment - the white scar. There are many ways to cover scars but he has yet to hear that the on the market products rejuvinated the pigment cells to produce new pignment within the scar tissue. which would turn the scar from white to normal skin color.

If a person used the curad and so on on a fresh cut the cut itself will heal faster which means there is less time that cut is open which might help if the cut is a surface scratch type cut. but he has not yet seen anyone that used it after the cuts have healed and the scar went away.

[Rapunzel]

That makes sense, since I have heard that scar treatments mostly lighten the appearance of darker scars. Mine tend to be white scars, and they don't stand out a lot, but probably wouldn't respond to scar treatment either.

In fact, I had something removed from my face (I had thought maybe it was an early stage of skin cancer, but it wasn't cancerous), and the doctor warned me that removing it could leave a scar. I didn't worry about that because I don't really mind scars that much, and also because I know that my scars tend to be lighter than my regular skin color, and are not very obvious.

I've never gone to doctors for wound treatment related to SI though, so can't help you there. I wish I had gone when I broke my ankle because that was a year and a half ago and didn't heal quite right. A bone sticks out a little where it shouldn't, and sometimes it still hurts a little bit.

I have white scars and it didnt do nothing for me. I have a very long scar wrapping around my wrist where I took a broken ceramic plate to it and the only thing I have found is belending make up over it or wearing a watch so that people look more at the face of the watch on the other side of my arm then they do the scar underneath, or I wear wide braclet band over it. basically from it all I learned not to cut in areas that would show anymore so I no longer worry about if there is a scar from this or that scar. No one is going to see it so no sense in me worrying about it.

[Sabrina]

When I received my stitches, the ER staff did numb the area but they did not numb their attitudes, unfortunately. It was horrible.

[NikkiV]

This is a very good topic. I haven't had to go to the ER for stitches or anything like that, but I do deal with people who have done this almost every day. I work for an ambulance company here in Las Vegas.
It seems that most of the people are our company complain on the way to psych calls. However, I find myself 'teching' most of these calls because I can really understand where these kind of patients are coming from. I have never heard of anything like not getting lidocaine here in LV, but I 'm sure it has happened. Some of the docs here could care less; to me, that would be a sign to get out of the profession. I have read about orgainizations and stuff that you can contact if you don't recieve proper treatment though.
Nikki

[AllDone]

((((((((((emmy))))))))))

I don't know what to say. I'm sorry you're having a difficult time. I wish there was something I could do to help.

Lots of love and concern,
Laurie

I should have written back to everyone and thank them for their posts. I've been sorta freaked out about the whole scene and hiding per usual.

So THANK YOU! I appreciate your kindness.

I've been using Curad Scar Therapy on it, and it's improving. It started off red and very raised. Now it's flat. Not so gross. I'm waiting for it to turn white, which is a big improvement over red. Uck.

Thanks, em

[vulnerome]

Have heard great things about Bio Oil, but keep forgetting to apply it.

My experiences in Emergency have all been very very good - exemplary - but I am in the UK so perhaps it is different here. I had one doc who was so terrified he'd hurt me I didn't have the heart to tell him that the anaesthetic had worn off.