Scar Stages Share yours!

03-09-2007, 06:31 PM

My surgeon used stiches instead of steri strips and the scars look terrible. I guess it is a small price to pay for a smaller belly...but my scars have those tell tale cross hatches and it frustrating that he did that. Did anybody else get stiches?

pochontas1969 · 03-09-2007, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Penni60

Just above the lines and dots.

so what did the erosion signs present??? Thanks in advance

pochontas1969 · 03-09-2007, 10:32 PM

my stomach was looking just like that hematoma, my surgery was the 27th of Feb. just wondering how long it took to go away? and also my port is right under the left side of my sternem, my doctor says she places it there because it is eaiser to find where is everyone elses??

nicknack34461 · 03-12-2007, 09:12 AM

i also had stitches and staples and so i have marks from the staples as well as the cut :( but they are healing up pretty well i have been putting alot of vit. E cream on them

coryscutie · 03-12-2007, 10:18 AM

I think I am the only one that had 6 incisions!! Did anyone else?
At the time of surgery I weighed 230. So its not like I had a really big tummy...?

Eficka · 03-13-2007, 08:50 AM

Hi Eva,
yep I got the stitches as well Im almost year out of surgery and the marks after stitches arent almost visible just the actual scars.So dont worry it will be ok:-)
Eva

FairyFacade · 03-13-2007, 01:54 PM

Still browsing and absorbing all the information I can from all you guys :)
The scars don't seem too bad, the badly bruised pictures kind of scared me.. but I hardly EVER bruise as it is, I can take quite a beating before I get a bruise. LOL
I just wanted to add about Vitamin E, that is what I planned on using.. When I got one of my big tattoos, my skin rejected the ink and 'rotted off', about 6inx4in of my skin just peeled off one day and left a big gooey red mess. I was so afraid of the scar it would leave and my tattoo-ist told me to put pure vitamin E on it (I found it in a cream form), and applied it daily, within 2 weeks it was fully healed and I was able to re-tattoo it. Now, you wouldn't even know it happened.
Also, I had always heard flaxseed oil is good for the skin and good for helping elasticity when dieting (or in this case I would think for lap banding weight loss). Anyone use flaxseed oil during their weightloss?

Exude · 03-13-2007, 10:50 PM

I am a 23 year old guy. Weighed 324 lbs. at my last pre-op appointment. Within the next 1.5 months, on surgery day, I had lost 21 lbs (303). One week after that, I have lost a total of 7 more lbs. (296) for a total of 28 lbs. lost in only a couple months!

So here I am, I guess 9 days out (counting surgery day as day one). Got banded on March 5th.

Here are pictures in order:
Day 3 - Before bandage taken off

Day 3 - After bandage taken off

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

Day 8 - Steristrips removed

Day 9

-Jason

faithmd · 03-13-2007, 11:39 PM

Exude: Wow! Looks great 9 days out. You heal fast!

Exude · 03-13-2007, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by faithmd

Exude: Wow! Looks great 9 days out. You heal fast!

It's coming. If you look close, you can see my belly pretty red. I've been having this weird rash-like outbreak. It's been extremely itchy! I think it has to do with the tape. I have been taking off the sticky remains the past couple of days as evidenced by the last couple pics.

Maybe I'll get some pics of my large port site incision close-up. Maybe for tomorrow... :)

-Jason

KHolmes · 03-14-2007, 12:06 AM

I also have six incisions. One of my incisions is within my belly button so I am not so worried about that scar. My port scar so far is about 2 ½ inches. I was told the more fat you have in that area, the bigger the incision.

I also had a huge rash all over my chest and tummy. It was from the glue that they put under the steri strips. I was told to take Benedryl and mine went away after taking the pills for a few days.

laralynn86 · 03-18-2007, 10:36 PM

My incisions after one day, and after one week.

Eficka · 03-19-2007, 08:46 AM

here are my scars almost a year after surgery.
dont be afraid usually they dont show that much, but I went for holiday to Greece one month post op and thats what the sun have done.also my skin isnt very good since I already have a lot of stretch marks

demsvmejm · 03-22-2007, 01:57 PM

I don't remember getting any info during discharge from the hospital regarding my steri-strips.
I'm 8 days post-op. Should I try taking them off? Or let them fall off by themselves? It's hard to see whats goin on under a few of them,
(dried blood?) They are not sensative or sore any longer, except for port incesion.

faithmd · 03-22-2007, 02:14 PM

The official answer is to let them fall off on their own, if the loosen up, you can trim them with a pair of scissors. The dried blood is normal (as long as it isn't increasing), they are incisions under there, after all.

I know several folks have taken them off themselves, but having been in medicine for a little while, you really are better letting them mostly fall off versus plling them off and taking the chance on disturbing that delicate newly healing wound bed.