How to deal with scars?

[revvo]

So yeah, the weather's great again so it's time to bare it all!

Long story short, I fell from mountain biking last summer in July and I fractured my forearm very badly. It required 2 surgeries to screw everything back together. Now that it's summer-ish, wearing a t-shirt gets people looking, giving me those :hmmm: looks because of two prominent scars on my right forearm.

What am I suppose to do, wear a long sleeved shirt? I don't think so. Soon it's officially summer so I'll enjoy it but how do you deal with these reactions? From people on the streets or the subway I don't care, but how about workers or classmates? Do I have to repeat my story of my epic fall and how I got this every single time?

[maplecookie Veteran]

Just tell people you injured yourself and the marks are from surgery and then change the subject. It's no one's business but your own and you are not obligated to inform everyone who stares or asks about what actually happened.

You do not have to cover it up. I'm quite proud of my first broken bone and tell everyone (i got it falling down a mountain after trying to climb it!). Just ignore others and just be yourself. Accept your new scars as part of you. I've got a really icky one on my knee from when I was a kid, but I don't try to cover it up. It's just part of me!

[Zab]

Bar fight.

fixes everything (found that out through experience :D)

[dysmatik]

tattoos

[darkz]

tattoos

+1

[revvo]

Tattoos? Nope no B.S decoration for me.

Just tell people you injured yourself and the marks are from surgery and then change the subject. It's no one's business but your own and you are not obligated to inform everyone who stares or asks about what actually happened.

You do not have to cover it up. I'm quite proud of my first broken bone and tell everyone (i got it falling down a mountain after trying to climb it!). Just ignore others and just be yourself. Accept your new scars as part of you. I've got a really icky one on my knee from when I was a kid, but I don't try to cover it up. It's just part of me!

Yeah that's what I usually tell them, keeping it short 'n sweet. I'll have to get used to it though, might take some time but like you said, they're indeed a part of me :ninja:

[That Guy Veteran]

Just out of interest, does anyone know of any ways to cover up scars you just don't want people to see at all, ever?

[darkz]

if not tattoos there some scar removal creams, dunno if they really work tho

see what drugstore has to offer

[maplecookie Veteran]

Just out of interest, does anyone know of any ways to cover up scars you just don't want people to see at all, ever?

A tattoo, like the others mentioned, is a pretty good way to cover scars. Some women who have to have full mastectomies due to breast cancer get a tank top kind of tattoo (very large) that covers up their chest and the scarring.

If it's a raised scar, a keloid, you can opt for surgery to get it removed, but in some cases that does make the scarring worse.

If it's a newer scar, try lotion to massage into it everyday. It will help loosen it up and it might make it a bit softer so it's not so noticeable.

[That Guy Veteran]

A tattoo, like the others mentioned, is a pretty good way to cover scars. Some women who have to have full mastectomies due to breast cancer get a tank top kind of tattoo (very large) that covers up their chest and the scarring.

If it's a raised scar, a keloid, you can opt for surgery to get it removed, but in some cases that does make the scarring worse.

If it's a newer scar, try lotion to massage into it everyday. It will help loosen it up and it might make it a bit softer so it's not so noticeable.

Thanks, although I'm referring to the type of scars where you'd want to give them as little attention as possible, yet remain unnoticable also.

[maplecookie Veteran]

Thanks, although I'm referring to the type of scars where you'd want to give them as little attention as possible, yet remain unnoticable also.

If it's a flat scar or an indention, try makeup. Yeah yeah, you are probably a guy since that's the majority of the forum users, but you'd be surprised how many guys use makeup to cover up spots.

Don't use some crappy little brand you get from a supermarket or something. Go somewhere where they will mix the color (foundation type of makeup) for you. You'll want the color to match so it's important that you go to someone who knows what they are doing. It may cost a bit, but totally worth it.

[That Guy Veteran]

If it's a flat scar or an indention, try makeup. Yeah yeah, you are probably a guy since that's the majority of the forum users, but you'd be surprised how many guys use makeup to cover up spots.

Don't use some crappy little brand you get from a supermarket or something. Go somewhere where they will mix the color (foundation type of makeup) for you. You'll want the color to match so it's important that you go to someone who knows what they are doing. It may cost a bit, but totally worth it.

Good idea :) I'll remember that next time I have some scars like that.

[non.sequitur]

So yeah, the weather's great again so it's time to bare it all!

Long story short, I fell from mountain biking last summer in July and I fractured my forearm very badly. It required 2 surgeries to screw everything back together. Now that it's summer-ish, wearing a t-shirt gets people looking, giving me those :hmmm: looks because of two prominent scars on my right forearm.

What am I suppose to do, wear a long sleeved shirt? I don't think so. Soon it's officially summer so I'll enjoy it but how do you deal with these reactions? From people on the streets or the subway I don't care, but how about workers or classmates? Do I have to repeat my story of my epic fall and how I got this every single time?

Just get a big Brock Lesner-like sword-penis tatoo over the scars and then they can talk about that instead.

[BigDaddy5]

I don't think so. Soon it's officially summer so I'll enjoy it but how do you deal with these reactions? From people on the streets or the subway I don't care, but how about workers or classmates? Do I have to repeat my story of my epic fall and how I got this every single time?

First, half of the perceived reactions you're getting are your own paranoia. Not everyone stares at your scar, and I know it seems like it. I have a gnarly scar running down the length of my neck, from my ear to my collar bone. It actually runs from my collar bone to just below my adams apple too, making a 90 degree cut, but you can't see that with a shirt on. You'd be surprised at how few people truly notice it, and more so you'd be surprised at how few people care. Most of the supposed stares are perception, and those go away the longer you have the scar.

That said, if someone stares, they usually look away when you look at them. If they question, usually I can say surgery. Most will drop it then. If you just say "bike accident," most will drop it. If some people keep pushing, you can toss another bone, "I fell on a mountain." Just something short and sweet. Sometimes I mix it up, though. "I got in a sword fight on the high seas with Somali pirates. I won." A sense of humor

[Sethos]

http://www.sheercover.com/

Using natures own minerals and very light powder, so your skin will look natural and beautiful all day long ...

Sorry, have been watching too much TV-Shop today, but that product popped in my head when i saw the title :laugh:

[sundayx Veteran]

Scars are a sign of manhood, keep them. Seriously though depends on how it looks, if it's not too prominent I'd just let it go, people just look because they're there, but because they think they are awful.

[That Guy Veteran]

Scars are a sign of manhood, keep them. Seriously though depends on how it looks, if it's not too prominent I'd just let it go, people just look because they're there, but because they think they are awful.

Depends what they came from, and why.

[maplecookie Veteran]

Eh, just lie about it! No one actually has to know if a girl beat the crap out of you, or if your cat slashed your face up. You got your scar in a fight against some horrible man who was mugging some old lady! Tada! NOW you are a hero with an awesome scar! :yes:

[PermaSt0ne]

Thanks, although I'm referring to the type of scars where you'd want to give them as little attention as possible, yet remain unnoticeable also.

there are creams and such that can make the scar look more "faded" that you need prescriptions for. so go to your doctor and tell him. other than that your only choice is makeup. which is fine if you're just gana be walking around, but then you can't go into the ocean or pool.

luckily half my scar from my back surgery is below the waist line so people only see the top one and a half inches of it, but i always feel weird with my shirt off. and my friends are nice enough to tell people to stfu when they ask about it because they know i don't like making a big deal out of it :)

[_bobcat_ Veteran]

Hmm, my general attitude is that I don't care what other people think about my appearance, because I'm happy enough with it.

Like someone said, half of what you see is probably just paranoia on your part. Most people will glance at your scars because they're not expecting them, not, I think, because they're judging you (and you must have been at least glancing at them to notice).

Eh, just lie about it! No one actually has to know if a girl beat the crap out of you, or if your cat slashed your face up. You got your scar in a fight against some horrible man who was mugging some old lady! Tada! NOW you are a hero with an awesome scar! :yes:

Ah yes, my brother likes to lie to women about the scar I gave him during some childhood fight. Happy days :p

[revvo]

Yeah, it may be paranoia, but the feeling is the same.

As for creams, I don't think any cream would work on my larger scar, it's not flat. That scar's a bitch because it was open for 4 days before closing it in my second surgery. That made the scaring worse than the other scar.

I'll work it day by day and soon enough the paranoia or whatever it is will stop.

That said, if someone stares, they usually look away when you look at them. If they question, usually I can say surgery. Most will drop it then. If you just say "bike accident," most will drop it. If some people keep pushing, you can toss another bone, "I fell on a mountain." Just something short and sweet. Sometimes I mix it up, though. "I got in a sword fight on the high seas with Somali pirates. I won." A sense of humor

Oh ya, I told a girl once who asked me that I was surfing and a shark bit me. She believed me for a second "FOR REAL?" :rofl:

What I do enjoy is to tell people that I feel from my bike. What most of them think and say is "ah, a motorcycle" and then I have to correct them and tell them it was from a bicycle. That's fun thinking that I own a motorcycle for a split second :pinch:

Edited May 10, 2008 by revvo

[MR_Candyman]

Dude, I have over 50 scars on my body, my back is the worst (whole bunch of long purple scars). I just don't worry about it. If people ask I tell them the truth that I was an idiot when I was young and got into a lot of fights with people with weapons. I don't think your forearm scars are anything to be ashamed of and they're certainly not drawing the kind of attention you think they do.

[revvo]

^ :|

Sorry if my sarcasm detector isn't going nuts, but if that's true, it sure made me sound plain silly and my "situation" weak next to you :unsure:

[MR_Candyman]

^ :|

Sorry if my sarcasm detector isn't going nuts, but if that's true, it sure made me sound plain silly and my "situation" weak next to you :unsure:

it's true. I've been stabbed my many ice picks and knives. My back is so bad because I was jumped by a group of 7 guys, beat, and one sliced my back up as I was covering everything more important. I suffer from back problems constantly, and yes, the scars are very big and purple on my back, normal looking everywhere else.

I don't get very many weird looks and most people who do end up asking how I got them. Trust me man, scars aren't the end of the world. They don't look horrible (actually I think burn scarring is the worst and it does look pretty bad sometimes), but more importantly, people won't judge you because of them.

[DrunkenMaster]

Generally, the sugeon that performs the surgery isn't trained in plastic surgery techniques. I'd see a plastic surgeon (you'll need a referall from your GP, family doctor). Ask the surgeon, not your GP, if they can fix the scarring and to what extent - they're usually pretty good at decreasing the scarring and not making it worse. Though they prefer to do surgery (they get paid for it) ask them - as a trick - post surgery if it doesn't improve much what else can you do.

Otherwise, a tatoo would be a great way to cover it up and it might not look that bad. Just make sure your employer doesn't care much about it if thats a concern. If you scar looks really bad, I don't see them minding and it would probably be discriminatory anyways. You can always do a patriotic one like a Remembrance day sort of thing. No one would question that and you can be proud of wearing it.

I've raced mountain bikes and seen it all. I have a few scars though none immediately noticeable. For the future anyways, if you're going on trails fast, consider getting some body armor like shins and elbow pads.