I have a surgical scar on my neck, admittedly it's  juvenile scar tissue (Operation was only 3 weeks ago) but would like some reassurance from anyone whose 'been there, done that!'

Above the incision I have a 'lip' of scar tissue ( big hard lump hanging over the healing incision ) I know It's horribly vain... but I hate it!! (and people do stare at it) and I'm panicking!!

Surgeon has said I just need to massage it with moisturiser then stroke in downward motions and it will eventually go flat... (but it's huge and feels solid and I just can't imagine it will!??)

Q: Will it???
Q: If you've had this how long did it take? and any tips??

(I'm using Bio oil for when I massage it, and Ive also bought some Boots scar serum <- not sure if that's any good??)

Any anecdotes, tips or reassurance MUCH appreciated...
:-( <- bit miserable!

I was going to suggest Bio oil xx
I dont know how long it takes but I have scars on my body that I dont even notice now. C section Scar 13 years ago that was once predominently raised is now near non exhistant.
Remember your body will still be healing xxx think of the advice you give your lot RICE, its the same sort of thing for scars xx
Hope you are now sorted xx
And will be interested to read the advice as I am in for an 8" incision in 3 weeks time!!
Lea :)

Reassurance on its way Liv.  Not sure how large you scar is, that could have some bearing on the 'overlap'. 

A couple of years ago I had tissue taken from my neck (benign :-) ) but the scar was small enough that both ends overlapped to enable the wound to seal properly... I thought there would be permanent puckering... I forget when I stopped noticing, possibly a couple of months, but now you would be hard pushed to notice there had been any surgery at all... I had another taken from my temple.. same thing with the puckering.. again, only 2 little dots where a couple of stitches were, remain..  all puckering gone :-)  I used a simple and cheap aqueous cream

Just to confirm Liv, I am very good at noticing imperfections on people and I would NEVER have said Kay has got either of those!!!!!!!
Lea :) :)

Dont worry it will fade with time. I have had two operations on my jaw and you hardly notice the scars.

The one on my ankle from the operation I had just under a year ago has really faded well.

Just give it time :-)

I had an op in October and they sewed the incision so that the edges were really raised, it was like not only had they sewn the join, they had also sewn across the scar as well.  It honestly looked like a pair of lips :( However a lot of that was the internal stitching and once it had all disolved it laid flat again.  Now its March and all I have is a couple of stitch marks and a tiny line where the cut was.  I found that during the healing process the skin peeled, but once it had stopped doing that then it settled.  I didnt do bio oil or anything other than e45 cream as I have really sensitive skin.

Thanks Kay, Lucy and Lea!

The incission itself is only about 2 inches long and I'm really not too worried about the scar that will be left as the surgeon purposefully made it on the crease of my neck so it won't be noticable... but it's this horrible big lump of overhanging scar tissue above it that I'm not liking!! It really is like a ski jump above the wound!

Kay, thanks... that does reassure me! Its just such a big hard lump that I can't imagine it will ever flatten.
(and cheap aqueos cream, top tip!)

Forgot to say Mike has a big lump at the bottom of one of his scars after he had a pin put in his leg at December.

The consultant said it was normal to get this sort of thing and in time it would go down.

> It honestly looked like a pair of lips :-( However a lot of that was the internal stitching and once it had all disolved it laid flat again.

That's good to hear, as I just can't imagine it looking 'right' again, so it's good to hear your experience thanks! (and it reminds me its very early days for me!)

It will improve Liv. Steve had a huge incision from over his right kidney round the front and right up to the top of his chest - over a hundred clips to hold it in place and it started off looking dreadful. Lots of overlapping and a very pronounced ridge for the whole length of the scar. It improved vastly over time -the ridge went and he ended up with just a fine silvery line which one would never have thought possible in those first few weeks.

Very, very early days for you Liv but it will improve and you will be amazed by just how much xx

> I know It's horribly vain... but I hate it!!

really not horribly vain at all.

Bio oil was going to be my tip to.

I have 3 scars, i have a scar on my chin from fallling over and splitting it open as a kid, is on the underside though so not a problem. 2 surgical scars though, about 2 inch one on my leg and a 12.5 inch one right down my stomach, through my belly button and stops just above my pubic bone from my bowel re-section 3 years ago.

it genuinely will fade with time, i know it will seem scarily huge to you just now but the one on my leg only shows if i get a tan and even the stomach scar is really faded now. on the bottom section of it the line is about 2mm thick and it was wide and had to be stapled closed, if you are stitched the scar will be finer still and just go a little silvery. I do have a little knarly dip at the bottom of the scar where they had to pull it together again, but it's not huge and as your wound will be far smaller it's likely to end up just a tiny blip.

also, try and remember that if you really are uncomfortable with it when i heals there are things that can be done to neaten it up, though I am sure this will not be needed.

hope you heal up soon!

Wow! Lizzie thanks, that does put things in perspective for me... thanks! and phew!

Okay..little over a year ago I had 2 sizeable incisions either side of my ankle.

Huge ugly things, bio oil daily and they are in parts invisible already!
That is with plates and screws still under the skin.
Truly....it  is daily gentle massage to prevent any tissue adhesions with the brilliance that is Bio oil.

My son has 5cm incision on his neck from a benign thing several years ago and you can see nothing at all now, he 'being a male' did nothing a all to try and costmetise it. Is that really a word?

Karen   :)

I think you saw the pictures of the scars on my hand & arm, just about 4 years ago, Liv - they looked absolutely horrendous - think of the worst Frankenstein-type scarring you can imagine!

The one on the back of my hand/wrist - from little finger to wrist (where there is absolutely no fat) is virtually undectable - and the one on my arm - which was a curve, measuring about 5 inches and which had to be pulled together (eek!) has faded to a silvery mark.

I was advised by the physios that they really wanted healing to occur on each level of skin separately - that's why you're being advised to keep massaging it!

I have had several lots of surgery on my hands.  The surgeon cut in natural creases, so it didn't look too unnatural once healed.  But the bumps I hated.  I felt like the horny duck billed toad.

I was also told to massage liberally and regularly.  I used E45 and have no bumps at all now.  (And the scars from cuts in natural lines, I can only see because I know where they are!)  :-)

(Not really sure that there is anything called that, so apologies to toads.)

Liv are you entitled to go to Flint House at all? They helped me amongst other things with scar tissue..

I think how quickly scars disappear is in part down to where they are and what kind of skin you have. My daughter had scars on her arm which were just not going away and we used Dermatix and they disappeared - it is expensive but I only ever bought 1 tube and it did work.

> I felt like the horny duck billed toad.

> Not really sure that there is anything called that, so apologies to toads

If they're not Jean, they should be!! :-D That's exactly how I feel!!

~ Thank-you ~Everyone for sharing your experiences, definitely reassuring me!
( I can stop having a little cry in the bathroom mirror now when no-ones looking! ;-) )

> I can stop having a little cry in the bathroom mirror now when no-ones looking!

you'll probably be feeling emotional following surgery even if it wasn't major, as well as worrying about the scar. Give yourself time for recovery physically and emotionally.

Your Dr may have forgotten an important prescription for your recovery- chocolate, ice cream, the odd glass of wine, doggy snuffles and chilling out :)

> an important prescription for your recovery- chocolate, ice cream, the odd glass of wine, doggy snuffles and chilling out

((( :-D )))

Because its on your neck this might not work, and will probably be very tricky, but putting pressure on a new scar helps a great deal.
It's early days, try not to worry - I'm sure it'll be ok. Good luck.

My scars have healed beautifully on my thigh (didn't think I would wear a bikini again) my right arm and left arm where the surgeon removed my nerve for the graft.This one was particuarlly lumpy and over granulated.My physio gave me sme gel patches which I left on 24/7 for a couple of weks.The other scars I massaged with e45 4 times daily = I can show you before and after if it will reasure you.My only problem is my hand which after 5 operation has had to have the scarring surgically released.All took 8-9 months before they looked much better.

I was recently shown some photos of surgical scars immediately post op, 6 months down the line and 2 years after by a surgeon who does research on scarring.  Obviously we all heal slighly differently but i have to say i was amazed by the improvement both up to the 6 month stage and also at 2 years.  :-)

Non surgical, but in my late twenties caught chicken pox it's not the same but it was 'bad'  looked like an extra from Hammer House of Horror. Didn't go out for some weeks & I was a real head turner for sometime - gave up counting them when I got to 160 on my forehead alone! But in time they faded, do have to old mark but only when I really look (not that often). Relax the worst is over, massage with any of the creams or oil mentioned & don't keep looking at it, you are more than just a temporary mark on your neck. Best of luck, & spend less time in front of mirrors!.

Ive just read this Bio Oil here I had my op 29th sept and I have a faint silver line now. I didnt believe it would work but I used it twice a day and massarged it in hard and its gone!! It was/is about 5 inches long!!

Agree with everyone else here, they will fade in time. Keep up the massage as it stops the scar becoming 'tough' and keeps it supple.