# Scars



## SamanthaNY (Jun 15, 2007)

Do you have any? How do you feel about them? 

I have quite a few. I refer to them as 'life lines', or 'life tattoos'. Sometimes I even call them 'tiger stripes'. And while I don't love the way they look, I'm almost... proud of them. They represent events and times in my life that made a mark on me... literally. Perhaps I didn't put them there by choice - but there they are, and they're a part of me. Some will find my scars ugly - that's okay (I expect you to keep that to yourself, needless to say). I don't show them off, but neither do I hide them. I think it would be nice if there wasn't such a stigma about scars. 

These are the scars on both sides of my ankle. About ten years ago, I slipped on wet grass and broke my ankle in three places. This happened on an Autumn night - and no one could hear me yelling for help. I ended up crawling on my hands and knees (with my foot flopping around as it hung broken off my leg) to get into my house and call 911. I didn't cry, and I wasn't scared. I was mad. The scars are from surgeries to attach plates and pins to hold my leg together. 

Funny - I only cried about it some 10 days later, when I was thinking just how awful it was to go through.


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## ScreamingChicken (Jun 15, 2007)

-The side of my left hand. Courtesy of a nasty dog bite I got when I was 10. 

-Thumb on my right hand. I was cleaning one of my Miracle Blade knives when I cut myself.:doh: 

-Front of my lower left leg. I was walking through my in laws garage that was in the midst of renovation while carrying Wesley in his baby carrier. I didn't see the air compressor nor its metal support structure. I felt pain and saw my hiking boot rapidly filling up with blood. 

-A couple of scars on my head. One from was when I was a little kid and I fell off a stage and landed on one of the metal seats in the front row. I have blocked the accident from memory but I do remember being in the ER under the paper cloth that they had around the wound while stiching me up and being very hot and wanting my mom.

The other head scar was the result of my head heating an overhang while jumping from the landing to the bottom of the stairs. I was a teen ; don't ask. 

All but the final injury required a trip to the ER and stitches.


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## bigsexy920 (Jun 15, 2007)

Have several but only hate one. 

I have a snake like on my knee/upper thigh. I left a sewing needle in my bed when I was making doll clothes and when I woke up in the morning the needle was so far into my leg I had to have surgery to remove it. This one I dont hate (I was 12)

The other noticable one is on my nose/upper lip, a dog bit me. It was my fault I was making a horrible noise that I KNEW was bothering her and she just sorta snipped and caught my nostril. This one I dont hate (I was 8) 

The other is on my abdomen from WLS I had it years ago before they do it like they do now.This one I hate (I was 28)


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## swordchick (Jun 15, 2007)

I have many scars. 

I have one on my knee. I fell out of my mother's car when she was dropping me off at elementary school.

I have another on my hand when I cut myself with a box cutter at my first job.

Those are the minor ones.

The other ones are from surgeries: laparoscopic cholecystectomy and keloid removal from my back. I have many scars on my stomach and one on my back. They are thick and very dark. In order to keep them from being painful, I have to touch them. For the one on my back, I have to ask people to scratch it or touch it. It freaks some of my friends out. But there are some who love to touch it.

I was upset about the scarring and what others would think. But I was told by my dermatologist that it will be there unless I have plastic surgery. I did not want to go through it. I just learn to look at them and touch them without disliking them. It was hard to do. I did not want hate anything on my body.


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## Surlysomething (Jun 15, 2007)

I have a scar over my right eye, just under my eyebrow.

Most people don't notice it unless I point it out. 

When I was a toddler my Mom was holding a bag of groceries and my hand while we were going up a flight of cement steps. I lost my balance and hit my face on a step. We lived in a small town at the time and the stitches were a little basic but they worked and I didn't lose my eye.

I also have a scar on my hand where a knife jammed into my skin while I was doing dishes. Doh!

Some cat scratch scars too. Ha.


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## imfree (Jun 15, 2007)

I have a dime-sized scar on the soft part of my right arm, about 3"
down from the shoulder. I was installing a new kitchen sink for the ex and a
dime-sized 600+ degree blob of molten solder landed on my arm! I still don't
remember what it felt like. I was so shocked that I couldn't feel pain until after
I cooled it with water and started to treat my injury.


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## Rowan (Jun 15, 2007)

I have hundreds...literally...

some from surgeries, some from accidents...some of my own..

dont hate them...they're just part of me.


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## Tracyarts (Jun 15, 2007)

I have a big one. It starts a few inches above my belly button, curves around the side of it, and continues on down several inches down the middle of my belly. It's a good ten inches. I had surgery there in 2005 to remove a huge but benign ovarian cyst. 

There is no disguising it. I tried using scar minimizing ointment after it healed but to be honest, it's such a big scar that it'll always be very visible so I just accept that it's part of me now.

Oh yeah... it does cause problems when I try to wear form fitting clothes with front seams that rub there. I can't wear snug fitting zip front jeans because the inner seams of the fly rub it and cause a lot of irritation. I also have to be careful not to wear tight fitting or scratchy lace undies with front center seams that could rub it either. I am hoping that someday the tenderness will go away, but my surgeon said it may not, so I have to just be careful what I wear now. 

Tracy


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## ZainTheInsane (Jun 15, 2007)

Interesting fact about me...I have a scar I was born with 
If you'll notice on the picture below, I have a skull-ish shaped scar on my cheek.:bow: 

In addition, I have tons of scars on my knees, hands, feet, one on my shoulder, a couple on my chest, a few on my back, and probably a couple more I haven't even found yet. 

Most of them are old, some are new, but there is only one that I'll seem to have forever, and that is the one on my cheek.:blink: 

Weird part is, my dad has a scar in the same place on his cheek...except his is more like a gash up and down on his cheek. We've both had them since birth, and they are both on the same cheek...I'm wondering if any children I have will have one....


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## Shosh (Jun 15, 2007)

Hi, I have a scar from having my gall bladder removed in an open procedure when i was 15. I also have 4 small incision scars and one medium size one from when I had a lap band inserted in February. I wish I didn't have them, but what can you do. I also have loose skin from losing weight, and I have stretch marks. I am definately keeping my body clothed.
I heard in France that they have pioneered surgery where the surgeon passes laporoscopic instruments through a woman's vagina to remove the gall bladder etc. It is amazing, and it is done to prevent scarring.
Has anybody heard of this? I think I read about it on the CNN website.
Susannah


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## fatgirlflyin (Jun 15, 2007)

I have a 5 inch scar running down the outside of my right leg from jumping on an old mattress with my brother when we were little. I was jumping and the spring shot up and sliced open my leg. I have a small little scar on my left eyelid from running in the house when I was about 5 years old. I took the corner too fast and slammed head first into the wall. Also have about a 1 1/2 inch scar on my left forearm from a fight I got into a couple of years ago.


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## JoyJoy (Jun 15, 2007)

Three small scars on my belly, and one inside my navel from gall bladder surgery. 

Numerous small ones on my hands, including one on the outside of my left pinky. I was washing the inside of a very thin glass and it broke, taking a good size slice out of my finger..the only time I've ever had stitches, other than the surgery. I've been very hard on my hands over the years, but I don't remember what most of the scars on my hands are from. 

I have one on my ankle from when I was about 8 or 9. My mom drove a station wagon that had a back seat that lifted up to allow access to the third row of seats. We were parked in a field, watching my older brother play T-ball, when I found a baby bird, captured it, and snuck it into the car, intending to take it home with me. It escaped and ran underneath the far back seat. I lifted the seat to get back there and left it up while I was crawling around on the floor trying to catch the bird. Someone came and opened the door, and the seat fell on my ankle. Thankfully, it was nothing more than a deep cut..I got off lucky. I never did find that bird, though.


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## imfree (Jun 15, 2007)

.......are not physical. Peace, Love, and HUGGZZ to all of
you Guys.


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## lemmink (Jun 15, 2007)

I have one from my knee to just above my ankle. I dropped a bag I was carrying on school camp. There was the end of a knife sticking out of the bag, and basically it just slit my leg open. I barely noticed it, lol.

I've got others around the place from bashing myself against sharp stuff, and one in my eyelid where I had a growthy tumory thing cut out. 

Scars are great! I think they're v. attractive really, show you've lived and been about.


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## Pookie (Jun 18, 2007)

I have a deep scar on my lower arm when I was bitten by our dog when I was 3, there is hardly anything on the skin, but its weird feeling underneath. I dont blame her, I was trying to get her bone when she dropped it between some bricks and she thought I was stealing it. Not much to see.

I have a really deep dimple on the back of one of my knees where I got stuck on barbed wire when climbing over a fence, never really notice that one  

I HATE with a passion my chicken pox scars on my face. I got chicken pox when I was 23 and I had it very very badly and I have about 4 pitted scars on my face that bother me a lot. I would have them removed if I could. I also have a super deep one _right_ under my bra strap that bothers me a lot still itches.

And... well, I have many thousands of self inflicted scars on my arms (few on my legs) from the fact I have been a self harmer since I was 9. Some are bad scars from times I was very depressed and basically unable or unwilling to bother caring for myself.

However I do not regret these scars. They kept me alive when my mental health was so poor and I was unable to cope.

I respectfully ask for no judgemental comments towards this confession, there is a time to be silent if you do not agree with others actions, so please this is one.


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## Sugar Magnolia (Jun 19, 2007)

Thanks to everyone who shared their scars. Sometimes they really are painful to talk about.

I had a sled riding accident when I was 6. I went down a hill head first on the sled with my little buddy. We underestimated/overlooked lots of things - mainly the barbed wire fence at the bottom of the hill. It caught my head and put a nice little horseshoe cut on me. I had to have 28 stitches, but luckily, it's on my head, mostly hidden by my hair. It has over the years become a permanent part. I'm so tall, most people don't even see it... I hope!


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## Friday (Jun 19, 2007)

I have one between my eyes I could live without. Sis bonked me in the head with her lunch box when we were arguing on the way to school one morning. She was 6, I was 8. I don't think it's really noticeable except to me of course but I do tease her about it. The rest? Who cares. Just part of life.


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## SamanthaNY (Jun 19, 2007)

I had initially imagined a lot more pictures in this thread - posting the ones of my ankle was a bit cathartic that way, so I thought others (besides Zain) might follow suit. But... no matter. Words are infinitely more imporant, and express much more than any picture could. 

Thanks to everyone who joined me and chose to bear their scars verbally, even if not visually... I hope the thread continues, and brings each of us something positive.


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## imfree (Jun 19, 2007)

Good point about the positive, Samantha. Scars are
evidence that a healing has occurred. We may not look
or be the same as before, but at least we can go on.


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## UberAris (Jun 19, 2007)

I have a lot of scarring on my lower legs, arms back and a nice slice mark down the side of my face from an accident when I was 2-3. I've really never had any problem with them, and they are for the most part in viable places, occasionally I get asked about them, but its not really a big deal to me, I have everything from bike accidents to old hockey wounds.


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## AnnMarie (Jun 20, 2007)

I don't have a ton of them... but aside from "still visible" cat scratches (they seem to be lasting longer and longer as I get older), I have a few. 

Appendix - about 10 inches long from the amount I've grown since it was done. I was about 12. It's actually barely visible because it's stretched out so much, but it's about .5 wide, so it's definitely still there. 

Hell, my boyfriend never even noticed it, I had to actually point it out. It doesn't really show up much in pics, but if I find one I'll share it. 

I have a very, very old one on my knee. About the size of a nickle or quarter. All white now, from a really bad bike accident when I was about 8. I'm shocked my knee cap wasn't showing... it was a nasty scrape/cut/burn thing. 

On the inside of left palm/bottom of my thumb I have a good one. Only about a quarter of an inch long now, required 2 stiches. Me vs. Steak-Ums. Steak-Ums 1. Me 0.



I think that's about it. I have a few odd "bumps" that drive me up a friggen wall, but whatever... just part of me. One is on my arm, about the size of a mosquito bite (1/4 inch maybe)... and pink. Had it removed once, but it came back. I have another one of those on my inside calf - my mom has a couple as well, I think they're hereditary. 

I have a small white bump on my nose... never changes, does nothing, but slightly hard, hate it to death, but I'm hesitant to go chasing after the removal of something that is right in the middle of my face. The "after" could be far worse than the "now". It's visible, but it's not like some hideous deformity... so I am just trying to learn to live with it (only been around about 2-3 years).


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## Sandie S-R (Jun 20, 2007)

SamanthaNY said:


> I had initially imagined a lot more pictures in this thread - posting the ones of my ankle was a bit cathartic that way, so I thought others (besides Zain) might follow suit. But... no matter. Words are infinitely more imporant, and express much more than any picture could.
> 
> Thanks to everyone who joined me and chose to bear their scars verbally, even if not visually... I hope the thread continues, and brings each of us something positive.



So, it's pictures you want, huh? 

Well, don't forget, you asked.  

This first one is a scar on my wrist that I broke in a car accident in 1990.







I think most of you know about the on-going difficulties with my knee. If not, here's a brief re-cap: I ruptured the patella tendon 2 years ago, originally had surgery to repair it right after the injury. However, either it wasn't done right, or never healed properly or something, because last year it started swelling and becoming very painful, impossible to walk on, etc. The Doctors kept looking at it and saying they didn't know what to do about it....(yeah right)......here is what it looked like at that time (scar from the first surgery)......






Now, I'm guessing most of you will take a look at this knee and say, "Cripes, that looks infected!" Well yeah, it was. But it took me screaming at the Doctors for almost 8 months to get them to finally do an MRI. The MRI told them that the patella tendon had re-reuptured, and because of how long it had been "in a bad way" a big cyst grew there that was filled with fluid and infected, etc. Long story short, they scheduled surgery for me promptly. The Doc cleaned out the cyst and infection, and debrieded the area, removing what was left of the patella tendon below my knee cap. And here is how it looked after that surgery...






It's pretty sad and beat up looking, but the huge cyst/infection is gone and my knee no longer looks like is has a basketball on it. It is also much less painful. I also have at least 2 more surgeries planned to reconstruct the knee. One in about 3-4 months to replace my patella tendon with a cadaver tendon, and then with any luck (and if I still want it) in a year and a half I'll have a total knee replacement.

You all still hanging in there with me?


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## SamanthaNY (Jun 20, 2007)

Wowza, Sandie! 

I just _*hurt *_for you in that middle pic - it looks just so awful and painful. But the last one is such a... well, a triumph. Sure, there's hella bruising and a big long scar - but look what it came from --those marks are the results of relieving all that pain and infection, so in that sense - they're not only welcome, but beautiful... in terms of how they helped you transition away from all that bad stuff.


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## CeCe the Porky Princess! (Jun 20, 2007)

...yep, I have scars. A 2" scar on the inside of my right knee from trying to climb ober a barbed wire fence, another 2" scar on my forehead from a childhood fall onto a iron 'shoe scraper' (ouch!), and a terrifically reconstructed left foot and 5/6" scar - I fractured every bone in the foot.

My foot scar is impressive and on the whole that reminds me of a operation, time in hospital and being confind to a wheelchair for a long spell..not fun but I coped. 

The scar(s) I have on my back from my teenage Acne (I still suffer from periodic bouts of Acne at 37) still 'upset' me, they provoke sad memories, feelings of ugliness and dirtiness..the scars have faded alot but they will always be there and will show if I ever wear a low backed top (I never do).

I dislike them greatly - all the other I have no issues with at all.

CeCe xx


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## Crumbling (Jun 20, 2007)

I have 4 but you'd have to know me fairly intimately even to notice them. they're all tiny!

I have one on my left shoulder that looks like a stop sign, i got an infection in the site of a vaccination injection when i was about 11.

I have an inch long ridge of scar tissue on the back of each ankle from breaking in successive pairs of doc martens shoes.

Perhaps the most interesting one is a teeny nubble on my right wrist which was caused by burning hot fat and cornstarch. A chef I once shared a flat with was 'showing me' how to make gravy and splattered me. Same guy was later asked to please move out after the third time he heated a pan of water till it caught fire (I kid you not).

Now the only reason I mention these at all...

The time i stuck a pitchfork through my foot... not a mark
The time i got savaged by a dog... healed without a mark
The time in chemistry, when we were doing catalytic cracking, and the test tube exploded, napalmed three desks, both my hands, and sent a burning rubber bung 40 feet down a corridor... nothing to show for it (apart from the charred lab book)

I don't even have an interesting story to go with any of mine.


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## Forgotten_Futures (Jun 25, 2007)

I have some scars:

-On the underside of my chin; when I was young (not more than 7 or 8) I was jumping over waves for fun, and there was a double wave. Jumped the first, and there was a body boarder riding the second. Came down on his head, split my chin open. Swelling from anesthesia split it more, and I got 6 stitches. Guy I landed on got a small cut on his scalp and was more concerned that I was okay than the fact I'd landed on him.

-Back of my left hand; was mowing the lawn one day and decided after about a minute that the chassis needed to be lowered. Wheel nearest the muffler was stubborn, when it finally moved my hand hit very hot metal. Instantaneous contact, but it cooked my skin instantly.

-Middle finger, right hand; carving a niche out of a block of balsa wood with a pocket knife that wasn't a lockblade. Wasn't aware of that, and it snapped shut on my finger. Bout 1/4" deep and clipped the nail too. 5 stitches.

-Left hand, webbing between thumb and forefinger; had a serious lapse and braced a hand at that end of a cut through some plastic wrapping that was resisting my blade, so I put more pressure on it, and suddenly it zips through and I fail to pull back in time. Didn't hurt, refused to get it stitched because that would hurt. It's healed fine, little white scar, actually gained a bit of flexibility at that point.


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## BeaBea (Jun 25, 2007)

I have a scar on my right breast from where I had a lump removed. It's sort of star shaped and about three inches across by two inches high. Sorry folks, no pictures! 

As for how I feel about it - well it was a lump and now its gone - so thats great. I feel lucky in that I can hide it easily in lingerie or swimwear and I also appreciate that there are brave women out there who deal with far more radical scars etc than me, so I can get past how it looks quite easily. 

The problem for me is how it feels... It's in a place which <cough> gets some attention and the first time someone encounters it it's probably more likely to be in the dark/semi-dark. I still dont know how to handle the situation with a new partner. I cant say nothing because theres absolutely no way he would remain unaware of it and I would hate for it to turn someone off or squick them out. On the other hand mentioning it is -horribly- awkward and a complete mood killer and also still likely to squick them. It's not like I get lots of practice telling new partners about it but even so, I dont think any of the ways I've tried so far have been good.

Ah well, back to the positive - it was a lump and now its gone!

Tracey xx


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## QuasimodoQT (Jun 25, 2007)

I'm one of those who doesn't mind scars- they just mark the milestones.

Five sets of surgical scars- 
1-breast reduction at 15
2-gallbladder removal in college, the laparoscopic group
3/4- knees, one from an accident, the other, limping so long on first one
5- skin cancer, egg-sized chunk of my back removed

Assorted chicken pox scars and cuts, about 3 of the first, 10 of the latter.

X-chromosome-shaped scar on the front of my chin from a physical assault- some kids in college. I had been their RA, and they didn't like that their beer had been dumped. This was 3 years after the dumping, but apparently they held a grudge. It knocked me out, I woke up later in the cemetery (walking by it when they jumped me). This is the only one I've thought about working on- maybe dermabrasion or something.

And about 50 scars on my hands and upper thighs from a psycho who was trying to "rape me with scissors." The fact that I managed to fight him off is why I had so many scars on palms and fingers.

So, I look at my scars, and I know I'm strong, and I can survive a lot.


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## Isa (Jun 28, 2007)

Major scars: One from an abdominal myomectomy a couple of years ago. At the time my friend said I had a c-section without the baby. A lengthy scar on my arm from a fall when about 17. My mom had a cheap iron plant holder and I fell on it rather than my dog who scampered under my feet while we were running around the house. 

I have several minor scars mostly form curling iron mishaps. I am a lethal weapon with a curling iron in my hands! The picture attached is of the latest. My cell phone rang, I looked at it and the damn iron fell hitting me in two places. Big ouch moment.


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## GoddessNoir (Jun 29, 2007)

I have one on the very top of my head, no hair grows there. I was running, around the house when I was a kid, tripped over the vacuum cleaner cord (I didn't put away the vacuum as I was told), and slid head first into my parent's very fashionable at the time glass coffee table. I have a tiny one on my knee, not sure why and an even tinier one on my upper left arm left when my brother pinched my skin off when I was a kid, that one isn't so bad because actually, it looks like one of my arm stretch marks.


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