Mr. Z

As you guys requested, here are pictures of my scar revision surgery. My diaphragm was ruptured and cut open to put things back in place, remove the spleen, etc. I have many other surgical scars but the only one I got revision on is this long scar that runs from my sternum to below my waist line.


picture of scar:


closeup pictures:


Before The Scar Revision
I don’t have any pictures pre-op right now but will try and get a hold of some from my doctor next time I see him. I can tell you exactly what it looked like though. See the wide inch or so of scar tissue above the belly button? It looked like that the entire part, from my sternum to my belly button.

The part below the button was not touched during the revision. As you can see it’s totally different, it’s smooth and flat. I know why it turned out like that too. The elastic waist band of the underwear compressed the scar tissue and smoothed it over during the year after the accident. The part that was covered by the waist band the most often, you can barely see any scar at all.

After The Scar Revision
Like I said the entire scar looked like the wide part above my belly button. The surgeon cut it out and sutured it back together. The little pin holes on the sides of the scar are from the staples used on the original surgery. There wasn’t enough skin to cut those parts out too.

The surgeon used very small sutures and removed them 6 or 7 days after the revision surgery. Initially it looked really good, I thought I wouldn’t have much of a scar at all. But even though he only cut out a small strip of skin, my abdomen’s skin was way too tight afterwards. I don’t blame him for that, it’s because there was because I had no loose or extra skin to begin with.

Over the next 1 to 3 months this problem caused the scar tissue to spread and pull apart, ending up like above. Most of it didn’t spread too much, except for that inch above my belly button that completely spread apart to as bad as it was pre-op.

I can’t say that I’m happy with the results. They are an improvement but I wish there was a way to make it less noticeable. It’s embarrassing for me to be shirtless, because I have over a dozen surgical scars on my body. Yeah I know there are plenty of people that don’t have good bodies, but that’s usually because of their over-eating and lack of exercise. They could look good without a shirt if they really wanted to. I can’t. My body will always look messed up and there’s nothing I can do to change it.

If you have skin to spare I think you will have better results. If you have always been thin and don’t have any extra skin, the new scar will probably spread some like mine did.

robyne00

I think you are definitely correct ... more flesh/skin would've promoted better healing, less scarring, and more even healing as well. Are you going to try to improve upin this in the future? Before pics would've really given the after pics justice.

la_angel

Mr Z, unfortunately scars are one of the few areas where there's not a whole lot that can be done. For discoloration, I know there are lasers and peels that may help, but not much can be done for the raised scar problem you have

I have heard some good results with topical (silicone) scar remover treatments, but I don't think those will do much for your skin type.

Until something better comes along for scars, I would focus on repairing your face instead.

Mr. Z

I wish I could post the before pictures but I'm not exactly anxious to go back to the practice that did this surgery to get them- one of the doctors there screwed me big time.

About focusing on reconstructing my face before my body, I can't say I disagree with that. I have gave up on the scars for the most part. I don't know if I can improve this type of scarring?

robyne00

You probably cannot do a great deal with this type of scarring, unless you want to go under the knife again, and get other scars. I would not recommend the aforementioned.