[justmeandmyhead]

I saw two girls with their self harm out last week and it's made me think about whether I would be able to do that. I have hundreds of scars up and down both my arms and it pains me that I have to wear long sleeves constantly. I can't imagine the rest of my life being like this (I'm 22).
So my question is does anyone go round with lots of scars on their arms out? If so how do you deal with people judging you?

No, I'm like you, wear long sleeves constantly. I see people with their scars out and wonder how they can do it! I just wouldn't have the guts to do it. I keep this stuff way too private to ever be comfortable with that I think. The fear of people judging me is way too high.

[celtic.starlite]

I don't cover mine. I used to hide them by doing it on my upper thighs and stomach, but one time I did it on my arms and nobody cared so I stopped caring. Now, I usually cover them with a bandage for a few days, but then they I let them show. Yes, I am embarressed but I try to remember the quote "Never be ashamed of a scar. It simply means you were stronger than whatever hurt you." Most people don't ask about them or stare at them. Very few people actually stare at them and whatever let them stare they don't know what I have been through nor do they know how I got the scars unless they ask otherwise they are just assuming how I got them.

Be safe,

Celtic

[waggiedog]

Hello dear justmeandmyhead. Humm, always a difficult one that of scars. No, I don't hide mine at all, but as much as I love summer and being bronzed by the sun, it makes the scars stand out a lot more. If anyone does mention them, what I say depends on who's asked me. If it's young people or someone who lives nearby I'd not tell the truth, if it were a stranger and they were 'older', then I'd come clean. XXXXX HUGS.

[iditp20]

I have 1,000s of scars. Most are covered by tattoos now but the ones that aren't I am still really insecure about. I don't cover them up but I still feel like everyone is noticing and looking at me.

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[jazzbella18]

I don't have a ton of scars on my arms, but the ones I do have are very noticeable. I use to feel like I needed to cover them up, but now I dont. I just figure people do not know what I have been through, and if they ask about them it is their problem not mine.

[Perfectllyflawed]

I used to cover mine.. for about 3 years I always wore long sleeves. But now I no longer cover them. People stare and judge and always asked that question I hate "what happened? " I think it's a ridiculous questions because it's obvious and they're just nosey. But I've gotten used to it.

[moodycow]

i wear long sleeves always , but recently at work people are commenting about how hot i must be and as uniform is short sleeved im sure they think im strange so maybe i should just go bare armed and let them confirm thier suspicions !!!.

[smmath]

I used to not cover mine, and it made things....interesting.

[NoChildSupport]

I don't cover them up unless they're new. I'll angle my arms a certain way & no one will notice at first but if they're around me a lot they will. People will ask out of genuine curiosity & they haven't made a big production out of it. I honestly don't care THAT much if anyone sees them. It is what it is.
It's been too hot to be wearing long sleeves all the time.

[junkDNA]

i have visible hypertrophic scars on my left forearm. i have to wear a short sleeve polo for work. no one has ever said anything but i bet some customers have seen them. im not really sure what i would say if someone commented on it. my friends know about my history with SI so it doesn't come up with them. i don't try to hide them though.

[Mike_J]

I have scars over scars on my fingers, can't really hide those, also have some large scars on my arms that I don't worry about covering up. The only time I have been asked about any of my scars was when I had stitches and I told them it was none of their business.

[1MerlinFan]

It depends for me. The ones on my thigh are so high up that even my shortest shorts don't show them, so I just don't worry about that. I've always worn shorts over my swimsuit (I've just never felt comfortable without them, even when I was five years old) so that's not a problem either.
The ones on my arm are a different story though.
When I first started I wore long sleeves all summer, even at work under my uniform (which proved to be VERY hot and uncomfortable, as my job involved being outside for half the day, and inside with a hot kitchen for the rest of the time). I got really sick of people questioning my long sleeves, but I didn't want to chance it as there was another girl there who'd cut in th past and wore short sleeves once, only to be mocked by everyone else there when they saw her scars. She never wore short sleeves again and I felt terrible for her.

Anyway, when I went off to college and moved to cutting my thigh, I decided I would start wearing shirtsleeves, as I could tell people who asked that it was all in the past and they wouldn't have any reason not to believe me. That worked for a while, (and no one even mentioned the scars) until I started doing it on my arm again. Then I had to go back to longsleeves, but it was cold out so no one questioned me.
Now I wear shortsleeves, but cover the fresh cuts with bracelets and other things until they finally turn into less noticeable scars. I'm hoping to finally stop this madness so I can just wear whatever the heck I want and not worry about the cuts.
Also, the other scars on my arm (the ones not covered with the cuts) are really noticeable, but so far the only person who noticed was someone from work who had a history of SH too. None of my friends (even my BFF who's seen me change) have even mentioned them, so I don't know if they notice and don't want to say anything, or if they truly have no idea. Either way I'm cool with it, I'd rather them not say anything at this point.

Hope this helps!! Remember, if anyone is going to judge you for your scars then they don't matter anyway! The only people I always cover up around are my extended family, and that's because I don't really care about them and have no desire for them to know about this side of me. (We aren't close, and I don't want them to be anyway). So I just cover up because it's easier than the questions that I wouldn't answer, and since I can't ever get rid of them anyway...