Question:
My Scar is healing real nasty and I have been putting Vitamin E on it.

I wanna know if any of my fellow WLS can give some ideas and names of things to put on the scar. Thank You and God Bless    — Queen K. (posted on May 31, 2000)

May 31, 2000
... your doctor's eyes. Hearing a description of "nasty" is vague, but doesn;t sound too promising! I'd get to my primary or my surgeon immediately, were it my nasty scar! I would stop putting vitamin E on it, and take the vitamin E to the doctor with you, to show him what you are putting on it and get his "OK". Maybe that you need an antibiotic, or another topical treatment.
   — lisadiehl

May 31, 2000
I recently have been trying a product put out by Merz called Mederma. It skin care for scars. I was given samples but according to the phamplet you can buy it at the pharmacy, you have to ask for it because it is kept behind the counter.
   — Teresa M.

May 31, 2000
Hi, My scar is 8" long and 1/2" wide at its widest part. I am 9 months and 12 days post-op and started at 286lbs and currently 182lbs. It is pink in color and raised. I have seen 2 other gastric by-pass scars (my friends) and theirs are much much thinner than mine. I don't know if my body just makes extra scar tissue or what. It healed well and never had any infection of any kind. I have learned to live with it because size 16 sure beats size 26. Please feel free to e-mail me if you would like any more info. Sincerely, [email protected]
   — Cheryl H.

May 31, 2000
I used vitamin E on mine and it's faded rather nicely, however, another AMOS member said vitamin E made their scar look worse...So guess it depends on the individual skin type. I heard someone talk about Mederma might check that out too....
   — Victoria B.

May 31, 2000
After nine surgeries I have found that just using lotion and massaging it on and around my scars daily help to break down the internal scar tissue thus making my scars smaller and less bulky. Good Luck!
   — Shelly T.

June 1, 2000
My scars have also gone keloid each time, no matter where or what kind of surgery. Keloid is red, raised, wide, sometimes painful and burning. If you are African American, it's practically a given. Firstly, keloids happen inside, so Vite E is nice, but doesn't help with a keloid. But your dermatologist can inject them and make them lie down flat (eventually). Some people can get 'em down in one try. I've done mine in a series of appts. My insurance has covered it, even after plastic surgery. The injections are "ow! ow! ow!", not any kind of lingering pain, more like being snapped with a rubber band, and the relief is almost immediate. At least from mine! Felt like I had a drawstring drawn too tight! Couldn't turn well and much burning and itching. Even one of my pierced ears went slightly keloid so the earring sits a bit crooked. Lucky me. Also, now that the injections have made the scar lie flat, I use Scargo to take the color out. It was recommened to me by the plastic surgeon over Vite E. I used E on my original bypass and Scargo on the TT scar. Scargo wins! With my revision, I used E for the first 4 weeks, then Scargo now and started the injections immediately. Why WAIT til it's fat and thick? The dermatologist route is probably the quickest for those of us who scar this way, then Scargo to fade whatever's left.
   — vitalady