Scars... what to do? [Archive] - Giant in the Playground Forums

CynicalAvocado

2011-01-19, 10:22 PM

So... I've always been really shy about my body because I have some scars that I really don't want to show off at all. I'm kinda sick of not wearing what I want to because of them, so I was wondering if anyone in the playground has had any experience with any kind of treatment to get rid of scars or tips to make them less visible/noticable without just covering them up.

scars are nothing to be ashamed of. they're like a road map of your life.

i have 12

--Lime--

2011-01-19, 10:27 PM

I've seen cocoa butter work wonders for a friend of mine. She used to self harm, on her thighs, and it faded away nearly completely. They were pretty deep.

Bear in mind that this took years to get to that stage.

I don't think it's an isolated case, though. Pregnant women use it for stretch marks. With all these things, though, your mileage may vary.

AsteriskAmp

2011-01-19, 10:28 PM

Maybe wear make-up?

If you are female certain accessories work wonders depending on the body part, on of my sisters uses her wristwatch with a green ribbon to hide a scar she got during a fight, it's wider than the usual strap and the ribbon part covers the sides.

If you are male and are concerned, make-up or maybe invent some weird story behind them, makes them seem a lot more awesome than most are.

CurlyKitGirl

2011-01-19, 10:29 PM

I agree with Lime, cocoa butter works well, as does Bio Oil (http://www.bio-oil.com/uses.html), one of my cousins uses it for his scars, and they faded pretty well.

Dr.Epic

2011-01-19, 10:30 PM

I do think there is medicine for it. But why bother? Just make up a bunch of cool stories about how you got them. You could have one about how your father was a drinker and another about how the mob scarred your spouse because of gambling debts.

rayne_dragon

2011-01-19, 10:31 PM

My issue with make-up is that I worry it'll smudge off on my clothes and make a mess, so I've been reluctant to even try it, but that's been sort of my default plan for when it gets warmer.

scars are nothing to be ashamed of.

Even if the scar in question is on a woman's chest? :smallconfused:

I don't exactly want to have people coming up to me and saying "that's a nasty scar, what's that from?"

AsteriskAmp

2011-01-19, 10:35 PM

--Lime--

2011-01-19, 10:44 PM

Do I smell the Bat Man?

Scars can't always be explained away, and especially if they're visible area like the wrists, it can screw you up in job interviews.

CynicalAvocado

2011-01-19, 10:46 PM

Even if the scar in question is on a woman's chest? :smallconfused:

I don't exactly want to have people coming up to me and saying "that's a nasty scar, what's that from?"

great, now i'm curious. oh well, i won't press it.

i mean, it's up to you whether or not to worry about it, and if you want to get rid of it, i found a site (http://scar-treatments-center.org/scar-center/scartreatmentreviews.php?KW3=Products&9gtype=search&9gkw=scar%20products&9gad=7091791261.1&9gag=2040591421) that may help

John Cribati

2011-01-19, 10:47 PM

Get a tattoo the same color as your normal skin color. in seriousness, see if you can find some kind of makeup to cover it.

Cealocanth

2011-01-19, 10:55 PM

Well, as I've heard from many a wise ( and many a drunk) man, "Scars are like tattoos with better stories." They may hurt a lot when they start, but by the time they're scars, they can really grant that "bada**" look that so many people fail to achieve.

If you really want to get rid of them, your local doctor can probably help them fade quite a bit. Otherwise, a little dab of makeup helps.

shadow_archmagi

2011-01-19, 10:58 PM

My issue with make-up is that I worry it'll smudge off on my clothes and make a mess, so I've been reluctant to even try it, but that's been sort of my default plan for when it gets warmer.

Even if the scar in question is on a woman's chest? :smallconfused:

I don't exactly want to have people coming up to me and saying "that's a nasty scar, what's that from?"

"Ten men came to kill me one time, and the best of them carried this"
*produce chainsaw from backpack*

problem solved

rayne_dragon

2011-01-19, 11:09 PM

CynicalAvocado - I'll tell you what I tell everyone who asks me: it's none of your business. :smallwink: Seriously, though, it's nothing really exciting or interesting, unlike some of the wounds I don't have scars from (I used to have one from a dog leash giving me some serious rope burn, but that one healed). That site looks great, though. Hopefully I can find one of those products in a store or something.

Herpestidae - I have a friend who has his own tattoo equipment... I feel like I should dress all pulp-fictiony if I do that though.

shadow_archmagi - that's kinda awesome, except I don't really feel like carrying a chainsaw around with me. Although maybe if I keep one in my bedroom... then when they ask about the chainsaw I can say "that's for if you ask about my scars." Perfect. :smalltongue:

CynicalAvocado

2011-01-19, 11:35 PM

absolmorph

2011-01-20, 01:37 AM

I have a scar from my pocket knife on my wrist.
Ironically, the only time I ever directly caused serious harm to myself was years after I was depressed. And it was because those "consumer-friendly" containers are not friendly to anyone.
There's also the one on my elbow, which looks like a bruise and is visible without looking closely. That's the only one that gets questions. Once upon a time, its companion on my hip looked a lot like a puncture scar.
If only I'd thought to claim I'd been stabbed, I could have gotten such an awesome reputation...

To answer your question: I would wear them proudly. They're a reminder of the past, and the things which shaped you into the person you are. They're a visible mark of something which likely had some impact on your personality.

Lycan 01

2011-01-20, 01:59 AM

I've seen commercials for scar reduction creams. I dunno if they work as well as advertised or not, but I'm sure that can easily be researched.

Or, you could take a leaf from the Nightmare Fuel thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=183893) and say a barracuda ripped your lung out. :smallcool:

Mando Knight

2011-01-20, 02:08 AM

If you want to recolor the skin to mask it, check the scar: if it's obviously hypertrophic or atrophic, you might need an additional scar treatment before recoloring the scarred area.

The other thing you can do (especially if the scar is fairly thin) is get more scars, so as to hide a tree in the forest, so to speak. Generally not the method of choice, though it does help you look like a badass (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/GoodScarsEvilScars).

mucat

2011-01-20, 04:39 AM

I don't exactly want to have people coming up to me and saying "that's a nasty scar, what's that from?"
Look them in the eye and say "crocodile".

it's nothing really exciting or interesting
There is no documented proof of that. Hence, it is from a crocodile.

Amiel

2011-01-20, 05:04 AM

I retain a scar on my left shoulder from an eventful childhood, one that was sustained after mucking about in a forest of corrugated iron sheets.
I tell everyone that I got it after beating up a machete-wielding lion.

thubby

2011-01-20, 05:17 AM

see a dermatologist, they have things that actually works. as opposed to most commercial products which are primarily wax.

Melayl

2011-01-20, 05:59 AM

Most of the Plastic Surgeons that I work with recommend Mederma. It can take up to a couple of months to fade scars (yes, scars are permanent, but they can be lessened), but it does seem to work.

Large raised scars can also be lessened via plastic surgery. I'd second speaking to a Dermatologist and/or Plastic Surgeon about them, if they make you feel self-conscious.

Admiral Squish

2011-01-20, 06:23 AM

I've hurt myself countless times, but, unfortunately, I haven't got any scars to show from it. Well, except for one on my knee, but that story's not very awesome, and the scar's not all that noticeable anymore. I was going down a hill on my bike and my brother shoved me. Major wipeout, I scraped along the concrete for like five feet. When I got up, I had a big chunk o' flesh missing off my knee. When I stood up, it looked like it was half a golfball missing out of my knee. It hurt like hell, but I couldn't stop giggling as I limped my way home. I had to buy new shoes 'cause of the bloodstains. Eventually, my bro said he 'wouldn't feel right' unless I apid him back, so we went out to the front yard and I punched him in the chest. You could see reddened knuckle-marks for two or three hours afterward.

I like scars, and tattoos, and piercings, though I could probably never work myself up enough to get any. Everything has a story to it.

Dr.Epic

2011-01-20, 06:26 AM

Dr. Epic that's horrible. and mildly amusing.

I'm an agent of chaos.

Coidzor

2011-01-20, 06:30 AM

...Are scars made more or less visible with tanning?

Amiel

2011-01-20, 06:35 AM

Don't really know; you could apply some of that fake tan solution on yourself (if you have old scars) or on some friends (if they have old scars), purely for the interests of science and progression of knowledge of course :smalltongue:

thubby

2011-01-20, 07:09 AM

...Are scars made more or less visible with tanning?

IME they dont tan, so yes. you can tan your skin to more closely match the scar's coloration.
which would be an interesting problem for me (if i cared) because my left arm stays really pale, and the one on my left leg is fairly dark :smalltongue:

Anxe

2011-01-20, 09:55 AM

I feel like this thread is one of those Yahoo Answers things that just causes trolling. Good luck with the scars, but as has been said there is no way to remove them after they've healed up. If you've just gotten an injury that may turn into a scar then it can be removed by using demabound! It's basically surgical glue instead of stitches. I've got a scar on my cheek that used stitches, but on my stomach I don't have a scar that used demabound.

Cyrion

2011-01-20, 10:26 AM

Depending on how deep/large they are, they may eventually fade away on their own. I used to have a scar on my arm from a juggling accident that has faded to the point of near invisibility. I also used to have one that ran from cheek to jaw that I got from a bicycle crash; that one has also faded to near invisibility. For that one, I used to tell people I got it in a duel over a lady's honor. They were never sure I was kidding, since I was a competitive fencer at the time.

For things like that, I've also found that the less you notice it, the less others will. (I'm assuming "garden variety" scars rather than "it looks like the Alien erupted from there.") If you present yourself with confidence, others won't really take notice.

If you've got the chutzpa, you can also get good mileage out of the "Hey, buddy! My eyes are up here!" line...

Jan Mattys

2011-01-20, 10:43 AM

I'm sure my comment won't be helpful at all, but I'll throw it here none the less:

Get used to your scar(s) and don't let it get in the way of your life.

I have a quite visible scar on my nose (obviously impossible to hide) and another, slightly less visible, just over my left eye (I fell face-on on the pointy end of my skis while skiing when I was 10 years old, and the doctors told me that surgery on my nose would produce a scar comparable to the one I already have, so it's more or less pointless to try and reduce it surgically).

Now I am 32, and when I look at my face in the mirror I simply do not notice the scar. That's my face. My old, usual face. And when people I just met ask me "what happened with your nose" (or some variant of it), it actually takes me a while to realize I do indeed have a scar and that they are talking about it because, frankly, I don't pay attention to it any more and quite often I forget I have it.

And really, it IS visible.

So, for what is worth, my advice is to stop worrying about it and soon enough it'll become part of you. Even more so if it is a "new" scar, you shouldn't promote it to "problem" status, really. Won't do any good to you to try and hide it. Accepting it is there is one hundred times better.

And if you really meet some jerk who doesn't know better than to continuously point out you have a scar, there's always the chainsaw solution to deal with him. But that' sounds like Plan B stuff.

:smallwink:

Disclaimer: I realize that my answer doesn't really fit well with the premise in your original post about being shy and not feeling comfortable about showing your scars, and I realize that it's mildly annoying when someone answers to a precise request with something that breaks the premises of the request itself (also known as the "How can I improve my fighter? Be a Wizard" problem), but really, I thought about it for a while and I truly believe it was the best advice I could give. Sorry if I am not helpful :smallfrown:

rayne_dragon

2011-01-20, 03:21 PM

Jan Mattys - don't worry about not being helpful, you're trying to give the best answer that you can and I appreciate that you made the time and effort to consider my troubles. I think I can live with the fact that I have scars, and I'm determined to stop letting them inhibit me, but at the same time I do want to do eveything, within reason, that I can to minimize the visibility of at least some of them.

Cyrion - as funny as that line can be, I don't think it's nice to wear something that encourages someone to stare and then chide them for doing so.

Coidzor - I think it depends on the type of scar, but it seems like the ones I have that get more exposure to sunlight heal better. Worse comes to worse it'll be easier to find makeup that matches my skintone.

Melayl

2011-01-20, 10:39 PM

...Are scars made more or less visible with tanning?

In the first 12 months after the injury that caused the scar (surgery, accident, whatever), sunlight on the healing tissue will generally cause the scars to be more raised and visible and not heal as well (according to the patient instruction sheets the Plastic Surgeons send with their patients).

After that initial 12 months, I don't know...

Cyrion

2011-01-21, 10:45 AM

Cyrion - as funny as that line can be, I don't think it's nice to wear something that encourages someone to stare and then chide them for doing so.

I'm certainly not recommending that you encourage them, but you make it sound like you want to wear things that will leave your scars visible. Civilized people will notice and ignore. Boors will stare no matter how encouraging you aren't. Again, if you're comfortable with yourself, others will be and it won't be an issue; the people who know you or spend time with you will not make you uncomfortable, and the rest of the world has a large number of more or less anatomically viable options of where to go.

Ilena

2011-01-21, 11:00 AM

Ive got a few scars, got one on my forehead where a rock hit me after my sister threw it, i think it cracked my skull, never actually did go to the hospital. But its a small one, no one ever comments about it anymore, so i guess they do fade overtime. I have a few others that ive no idea where they came from, one day i was just looking at my arm and was like ... wtf is this? And is it weird that my scars tend to sink rather then rise above the skin?

If you do try any of the cremes tell us if they work k?

Kuma Da

2011-01-21, 11:28 AM

I'm certainly not recommending that you encourage them, but you make it sound like you want to wear things that will leave your scars visible. Civilized people will notice and ignore. Boors will stare no matter how encouraging you aren't. Again, if you're comfortable with yourself, others will be and it won't be an issue; the people who know you or spend time with you will not make you uncomfortable, and the rest of the world has a large number of more or less anatomically viable options of where to go.

+1

I can't possibly overstate this. Self-confidence is the best armor you could ever wear. And before someone else makes a crack about kevlar or mythril or whatever, there's nothing else out there that stops the bullet before someone else fires it.

A lot of guys tend to see scars as a badge of honor. They're proof that, whatever happened, you were bigger and badder than it. You might not feel the same, and that's okay.

All that really means is that your scar's incidental. If you decide it's not an important part of you, it doesn't have the right to be bringing you down.

AtomicKitKat

2011-01-21, 11:28 AM

Don't think it's entirely relevant or advisable considering your location, but I have moderate success reducing the size of keloids by picking at them, in conjunction with moisturising/regenerating creams. I use this one (http://www.ginvera.com/shop_online/product_details.asp?product_id=542). Not just for feet!

leakingpen

2011-01-21, 11:40 AM

There is a patch you can buy, but its basically a vitamin e gel. I have had good luck with buying vitamin a tablets, breaking them open and smearing the goop on the scar, along with vitamin e lotion. do this daily. it softens the tissue and allows it to be reabsorbed back into the body. Doesn't remove, but does seriously lessen the scar tissue after about a month. Make it less visible. also, softer, in case any of your scars are causing motion issues.

rayne_dragon

2011-01-21, 11:53 AM

+1

I can't possibly overstate this. Self-confidence is the best armor you could ever wear. And before someone else makes a crack about kevlar or mythril or whatever, there's nothing else out there that stops the bullet before someone else fires it.

A lot of guys tend to see scars as a badge of honor. They're proof that, whatever happened, you were bigger and badder than it. You might not feel the same, and that's okay.

All that really means is that your scar's incidental. If you decide it's not an important part of you, it doesn't have the right to be bringing you down.

I'm not sure self-confidence stops bullets, and even if it does I think you could argue the validity of luck and fate as being equally effective. I'll stick with my kevlar... or better yet, avoiding people with guns.

I have decided not to let my scars bring me down, though and I think it works better to do something about them and know that I've done my best than just try to ignore their existance. I also think doing something about them will help me feel more confident about the risk of people noticing them; I think too much about things, so I have a hard time ignoring them effectively.

If you do try any of the cremes tell us if they work k?

Sure, if I can even remember to do so after using them so long... I get the feeling it takes a long time of using cremes to get results. I've been using a mosturizer with collagen elastin lately and it seems to have helped a little, especially with smaller scars.

RandomNPC

2011-01-21, 04:48 PM

I'd say you got it fighting off some bears that wanted to eat your family, but seeing as people already went with the animal fighting route;

Oh, that scar? some dude wouldn't stop staring at me, so I pulled him into a hug and smothered him to death. Halfway through his glasses broke and did that. The joke's on me, there's a bit of eyeball still under the skin, so he's still got his eye on me.

I'm sick, aren't I?

Keld Denar

2011-01-21, 05:31 PM

I use this stuff. (http://www.sweetspotonline.net/phenomen-all.html)

I primarily use it when my skin breaks out after sugaring, and it fixes it back to perfect in about 12 hours. Seriously hardcore stuff. Its a bit pricy, but with the small amount you use per application, it lasts nearly forever.

Zanaril

2011-01-21, 05:47 PM

juggling accident
I'm gonna go ahead and assume you were juggling chainsaws or something.

I have scars all over my arms. If people ask about them, I just tell them whatever blatantly fallacious story pops into my head, because, come on, they're obviously from self-harming and it's none of your business.

The older ones (5+ years) which were from friction burns have mostly faded though, to the point where I'm not even sure exactly where they were. I can't give any advice about what to do about exising scars, but I've heard that using moisturiser on healing wounds means they scar less.

rayne_dragon

2011-01-21, 07:44 PM

Oh, that scar? some dude wouldn't stop staring at me, so I pulled him into a hug and smothered him to death. Halfway through his glasses broke and did that. The joke's on me, there's a bit of eyeball still under the skin, so he's still got his eye on me.

I'm sick, aren't I?

You're actually quite funny. That'd be a great line to use if anyone would ever believe my chest could smother anyone.

I use this stuff. (http://www.sweetspotonline.net/phenomen-all.html)

I primarily use it when my skin breaks out after sugaring, and it fixes it back to perfect in about 12 hours. Seriously hardcore stuff. Its a bit pricy, but with the small amount you use per application, it lasts nearly forever.

Have you ever used it on a scar?

Also, I didn't realize sugaring could cause you to break-out; I've been meaning to try it ever since I found out about it, but I don't have a proper stove/heat source available to make up a mixture to try out.

Melayl

2011-01-21, 11:13 PM

If you do try any of the cremes tell us if they work k?

My wife has been using the Mederma on an incision scar on her shoulder (started about 2 1/2 weeks after surgery), and it reduced it from raised and bright pink to flat and smooth. It still has a dusky purple line, but it has only been about 5 weeks, and I think she's to use it for 8 at least.

The rest I have no experience with.

Demonweave

2011-01-21, 11:29 PM

My body is actually covered in scars....

Some I am proud of because of how they got there (falls, sports, fights, work related accidents, and one rather unfortunate incidence with a mop which sliced my hand al the way across).
And some I am really not proud of (yes from being all selfharming when I was younger).

So I have some experience in trying to make scars look less obvious. What I found helps alot is moisturising your skin regularly, like religiously, and it does help alot over time. I wouldnt recommend tanning as with me atleast my scars turn pink when i turn brown.

Also jewellery and accessories work too :smallbiggrin:

Extra_Crispy

2011-01-22, 08:12 AM

I would have said first that you should just learn to live with them as they are not something to be ashamed of, but as I read your posts I see that you are already doing that. You just want to lessen the look of them for personal reasons, I can understand that. The only recommendation I can make is the creams that have already been mentioned, vitamin E, mederma works well also.

I know what it is like to have scars you would rather hide. I am litterly covered in them from a car accident in which I was about 70% burned. I still dont wear shorts because of the severe deep HUGE burn scars on my legs. There is no cream that will hide them but I have noticed with time the scars fade and change to almost completely match the normal color of the skin. Keeping areas lathered up with cream helps smooth the skin and keep it supple thus letting them blend in some. But I cant remember the name of the cream I use. The suggestions here are very good.

I would never ask how you got the scar as you dont want to talk about it but I have found that they can be great ice breakers and things to make people laugh. I will have to post my rattle snake story and my 6' tall smerf story sometime. And after all look at my screen name :smallwink:

dehro

2011-01-22, 11:18 AM

Demonweave

2011-01-22, 01:21 PM

Extra Crispy I Love that you use it as an Ice breaker.

A friend of mine has scars over most his face and body, he tells a diferent story every time someone asks about them. Quite often the stories make him sound more like a superhero, as they always seem to involve saving someone.
(even though he got them in a car crash)

eidreff

2011-01-22, 02:08 PM

I have a number of scars, caused by misadventure, idiocy, surgery and combinations of all three. Some cannot be hidden, others I wear clothing that cover. Overall, the more conscious that you are about them the more other people will pay attention. I lost part of a finger (not a big deal really) and nobody notices now, mainly because I have got used to it and that is that way it is. Scars in fleshy tissue can be helped by oils and moisturizing as people have said, but that does take time.

For me The way I see scars, as with all things that we may perceive as blemishes, is that anybody who gets hung up on them is not deep enough to spot the person underneath.

rayne_dragon

2011-01-22, 02:22 PM

how pre-conditioned am I, that when I saw that thread title in this forum my first thought was "wear them with pride" and my first mental image was that of a howling barbarian armed with a blade-nunchuck??

Very preconditioned, given that I'm the opposite of a howling barbarian with a blade nunchuck. That image is very amusing to me though.

Coidzor

2011-01-22, 02:47 PM

Very preconditioned, given that I'm the opposite of a howling barbarian with a blade nunchuck. That image is very amusing to me though.

That's because barbarians are comedy gold. :smallbiggrin: When they're not musical genius (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBGOQ7SsJrw).

Aedilred

2011-01-22, 03:22 PM

I find it really depends on the type of scar. I have a few scars around the place from misadventure; my knee, my hand, and most pertinently my tongue- I'm rather proud of these and don't have a problem with them at all, although admittedly none of them are seriously disfiguring.

I also have a lot of acne scars, mercifully not on areas that tend to be on public display, but all the same these bother me quite a lot, and I do my best to avoid taking my shirt off in any sort of company, even among close friends and where it looks stranger not to, simply because I'm embarrassed about them. There's no interesting story that can be attached to them; they're not a legacy of a richly enjoyed life, they're just the lasting mementoes of an affliction that's bothered me (and continues to do so) a great deal.

So I have a lot of sympathy with anyone trying to get rid of scarring- the problem is, of course, that there's no treatment that really gets rid of them altogether, at least as yet. There are creams that are supposed to help, but I don't know if any of them do, there's laser treatment, but that can be expensive... Generally, exposing them to sunlight doesn't, I find, make a lot of difference except while the scarring process is still ongoing, and then it tends to cause further damage and so make the ensuing scars worse. There's research ongoing, I believe, into stem cell treatment which theoretically should actually work, but I daresay that would be difficult to get hold of and expensive, and right now I don't think it exists.

The only real advice I can offer is trying not to let it bother you too much, just try to accept them as part of your appearance and be as comfortable as possible in your own skin. Anyone who really cares about you- lovers, partners, friends, etc. won't let the scars bother them... and anyone who doesn't, well, I'd say they're not important, although employers and the like fall into that category- all the same, it's not something you can do anything about, so it's not really worth worrying about too much. I know this is a lot easier said than done, though.

Brainstomper

2011-01-22, 03:46 PM

I have a gunshot wound on my right calf, a thick vivid scar from when a kid attacked me and stuck a screwdriver thru my arm, a stilleto wound on the inside of my left forearm from astage sword fight with a complete idiot, a 3 1/2 inch scar on my right cheek from a behavioral challeged girl that stratched me and broke off a fakefinger nail in my face. It then got infected. When I let my beard grow out all the hair around it is white. Add in in some roadrash.. which wiped out 1/2 tattoo. I getsome wierd looks. Nothing I tried ever reduced the scar b/c itso deep.

dehro

2011-01-22, 04:57 PM

That's because barbarians are comedy gold. :smallbiggrin: When they're not musical genius (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBGOQ7SsJrw).

true..also, blade nunchucks are just stupid

KerfuffleMach2

2011-01-22, 05:06 PM

true..also, blade nunchucks are just stupid

Gun-chucks are much better.

Or gopher-chucks.

absolmorph

2011-01-22, 08:42 PM

how pre-conditioned am I, that when I saw that thread title in this forum my first thought was "wear them with pride" and my first mental image was that of a howling barbarian armed with a blade-nunchuck??
Just enough.

Very preconditioned, given that I'm the opposite of a howling barbarian with a blade nunchuck. That image is very amusing to me though.
You should try it!

true..also, blade nunchucks are just stupid
What.

Orzel

2011-01-22, 08:59 PM

I got a scar... in my eye.
There is a visible white halo in my left pupil for surgery. Outside of dark contacts, it's always visible.

Never can be removed. But it's an awesome icebreaker during dead silence.

The Glyphstone

2011-01-22, 09:09 PM

true..also, blade nunchucks are just stupid

Sword-chucks, yo!

neoseph7

2011-01-22, 09:14 PM

I have two massive scars running the length of my left forearm. I wear clothes that cover them up most of the time, but before I joined the military I really considered getting a tattoo. Not to cover them up, but to use them in such a way that they are part of the art. The idea being a visual distraction from the negativity of the scar, not from the scar itself.

druid91

2011-01-22, 09:28 PM

+1

I can't possibly overstate this. Self-confidence is the best armor you could ever wear. And before someone else makes a crack about kevlar or mythril or whatever, there's nothing else out there that stops the bullet before someone else fires it.

Yes there is. A gas mask and a hazard suit.Along with nerve gas in large enough quantities to kill an army...Hey if you are expanding the definition of armour to abstract concepts like self-confidence I can expand it to include a massive billowing cloud of death.

I'm not sure self-confidence stops bullets, and even if it does I think you could argue the validity of luck and fate as being equally effective. I'll stick with my kevlar... or better yet, avoiding people with guns.

Yes avoiding the people with bullety doom is good.

Extra_Crispy

2011-01-23, 12:37 AM

Extra Crispy I Love that you use it as an Ice breaker.

Ya it has even gotten me a couple of dates. You know what they say about self confidence. For a long time I was very shy about my scars and did not want anyone to see the majority of them (some I cant hide). The I basically said screw it and really dont care now, I still wear pants to cover the leg scars but that is also because I have really white skin and can burn easily and I live in southern arizona where the sun will fry you quickly.

Now for one of my stories. On the back of both hands I have a pair of parrell scars that were from cuts the doctors had to make to relase edema and pressure. At one point in college I convinced a girl that the ones on my right hand were from a rattle snake bite. (for some reason she either did not see the ones on my left had or put it together that they both should be the same.) I told here the large snake bit me and when I yanked my hand back its teeth ripped through my hand and caused long cuts, thus the scar. It took a bit but eventually she started to believe me. When she said "really?" I could not hold my laughter anymore and after getting hit on the shoulder we both laughed for a long time. So then I asked her out to tell her more interesting stories about how I got some of the other scars. We went on a few dates.:smallbiggrin:

Demonweave

2011-01-23, 02:00 AM

Good I'm glad you are positive about it and use it to you advantage.

I actually used to be incredibly self concious about my appearance scars, blemishes, weight etc. But I really believe in the whole "fake it till you make it" Idea.

Whether or not you start confident doesn't matter, because if you act confident People will think that you are, which makes you in turn feel more confident. And then just watch you ego go up and up. haha

super dark33

2011-01-23, 01:37 PM

hoo... its make me happy again and again to see how you all helping each other in such serios will. kind of make you trust in people again!

Keld Denar

2011-01-23, 07:27 PM

Have you ever used it on a scar?
Just a couple really old chicken pox scars. It's made a pretty big difference on those though. It also helps with razor burn on my neck from shaving.

Also, I didn't realize sugaring could cause you to break-out; I've been meaning to try it ever since I found out about it, but I don't have a proper stove/heat source available to make up a mixture to try out.

A quick google search for you revealed this: The Sugar Box (http://www.yelp.ca/biz/sugarbox-vancouver#query:body%20sugaring)

I would go there and get more information. They might even sell that cream I use.
Scratch that...they don't actually do sugaring, despite a name like Sugar Box. It doesn't look like there are any places in Vancouver for sugaring. I know there are only 2 places in Seattle that do it. I dunno why its not more popular, given how much BETTER it is than waxing. Anyway...

As far as breaking out, like any epiliation, it distresses the pores. Depending on your skin, this might not be a problem, or you might break out. I used to break out a lot more than I do now, and I've been doing it for ~8-9 months. I actually just had an appointment yesterday, and this morning I had like, 3 little whiteheads. As I said, I popped them with my tweezers and put on the Phenomen-all cream, and even 5 hours later, I can't even tell where they were. As long as you have good exfoliating and moisturizing habits, you shouldn't have any problems.

You're gonna do it yourself? Eep, I don't think I could do that. Its just too hard to reach some places...unless you were just doing your legs. Still, might be worthwhile to go to the salon and have it done once professionally, just so you can kinda see the technique. Direction is key, from what I've seen.

If you find yourself in Seattle some time, look up the Sweet Spot in Fremont. Thats where I go. The gals that work there are AMAZING, and super helpful.