Self Harm - Scars

[JJ]

I am not sure if anyone will have any ideas but I guess it is worth a try.
I have recently stopped self harming after years of trying too. When I was self harming I didn't believe anyone who said that I'd be left with awful scars for the rest of my life and at the time scars seemed like the least of my worries, now I wish I'd listened more carefully. I have really bad scarring on my arms, legs and stomach which is now really upsetting me. My scars from self-harm remind me of things and even of particular events. My scars mean that memories (bad ones) stick with me, the scars are a constant reminder and they are also embarrassing and awkward to try and explain when questions are asked.
Many people say that Vitamin E Cream helps to fade scars, but this hasn't actually been proven by medics (or by me, believe me I have tried all sorts of cream). Therefore I was wondering if anyone who knows of any ways of either hiding scars or helping them to fade better. Do you think my gp would be able to suggest anything?

[marihatescomputers]

vitamin e oil (from body shop - wheatgerm oil) can reduce purpley looking scars and make them closer to silver but you have to use it for quite a while. of course this effect could just have been because i have used it for a long time and time itself is the healer.
the scars and the memories will fade - horrible cliches etc but these things do pass. you may have the scars for the long term though they may reduce in appearance. as far as i know the best you will get is the possibility of scar hiding / camoflage (eh sp) makeup for the body. but who knows, any kind of surgery wouldnt be productive because, well, thats just gonna add to scar tissue. also, dont believe for a second that sunshine will reduce them, in my opinion they make them more pronounced.
you will find some way to deal with them, like i said they will fade to an extent, sometimes it sucks but you just have to be straightforward with ppl. just because your past is on your skin doesnt make you any more or less troubled than any other human being.
i dont know if this will be of any help, but you arent alone, there are a huge number of people living with scars. i found as i got older ppl questioned me less, and as i was less conscious of them ppl seemed less so too.
ps. there is a student self harm support group - you can get info at the student support services if that sounds helpful.

[nighteyes]

sorry to hear that you have just realised the scars dont go away. i have learned to deal with mine as they are a part of me ut there is times i wish they would vanish. i get really embarased when my girlfriend looks at them or traces them with her fingers.
sunlight always makes mine stand out more as does the cold. but mine tend to fade to silver after about a year or two. i know its a long time to wait but unless you are willing to go about compleetly covered up then you are going to have to get used to them.
moisturiser is supposed to help skin healing and reduce redness. vaseline on fresh scars (when still in the bright pink healing stage) is supposed to reduce scarring. in the past i have been rather remiss in tending to mine so i dont know for sure if it works. i guess it may depend on how well you heal. i know people that lose scars in little time and others who will carry their scars the rest of their lives.
(})

[hr]

i didnt say i was consistant, just right!

[flossy]

There's a new type of scar reducing sticking plaster (made by either Johnson&Johnson or Elastoplast) but it's quite expensive and I don't know if it works.

There are also specialist concealers to cover scarring or unwanted tattoos which may do the trick if you feel self conscious- maybe ask a pharmacist and say it's for an appendix scar?

[hr]

Rippy up yeah, onde danceflo, widde moocow, swoss there fo.

[Lyra]

Aloe Vera is brilliant for helping skin to heal. I had a massive scar on my shin from an accident involving a razor, me getting ready to go out and a fit of absent mind, and I found Aloe Vera to be really effective.

I used forever living products aloe propolis cream (I think they sell it in the health food shop on Market street) which smells really nice and feels as though it's doing you good. It tok a couple of months, but the scars completely faded now, after being bright red and really obvious for about six months.

[Slash wannabe]

I've heard lavender oil is supposed to be pretty good.

[hr]

IMAGE:www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~es54/pantera3
Is there no standard anymore?

[johness]

wheatgerm oil, as already reccomended, is supposed to be the trick. Best of luck and well done you for stopping self harming, you should be really proud of yourself.

[hr]

[s]Hail to whatever you found in the sunlight[/s]

[Jubilee]

http://www.bio-oil.info/

I've not used it myself but it sounds quite good.

[White_Lightning]

Scars are a part of life. We all carry our scars around in different ways. You can't make them go away, and won't ever dissapear completely. Don't try to hide them, live with them and accept them, they are a part of you now, whether you like it or not.

I have many scars of my own, I need them to remind me of who I am and how far I've come in life. You need your scars too, hold onto them dearly and keep them as your own reminder. A reminder that no matter how bad life gets, things will always improve.

I hope I never lose the scars that I've picked up in my life.

[babbler]

I have scars all over from self harm but the most visible ones are on my left arm. I tend to forget about them, I mean I don't avoid short sleeved tops or anything, most are pretty faded and are on the underside of my arm so not too visible. Usually its fine and I'm arsing about with someone and they suddenly look in horror at my arm and say 'what happenned??!!!' By the time they have said it, you can see they wish they hadnt said anything! I see some people noticing but not saying anything.

I usually just bullshit some story about cats or burns (even tho i no they don't believe a word of it, but its basically me saying 'leave it!'), or shrug my shoulders. If its someone I have gotten quite close to I'll tell them. As cheezy as it sounds my scars remind me of the person I used to be, and deter me from ever being that person again!

As far as removal goes, a lady as SSS told me that the health food shop in st andrews sells some kind of vitamin or mineral that helps, and u can also get laser surgery apparently! I haven't tried anything yet, not cos I don't want to, just cos I haven't gotten round to it yet!

But well done on quitting & Good luck for the future!

x