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How to minimize scarring? Check out my busted eye!

SamIchi

SamIchi

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Aug 1, 2004
2,716
137
What can I do to keep scarring to a minimum? I got hit in the face with an elbow when playing basketball. If anyone remembers, I made a topic a month ago, when my brother got hit in the eye. Mine's worse though. The doc told me to apply Bacitracin on it a couple times a day.

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Jasonbot said:
Use Bio-Oil or some other tea-tree oil.

But you know what, all chicks dig scars so why not leave it? :p
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A little scar is good enough I don't want a big one. The doc said it will leave a scar no matter what, so I want to minimize it.
 
oscuh said:
There's gobs of different scar treatments out there, check out your local CVS or look on Google.
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I really don't think they work, IMHO. I bought a store brand version (does that matter?) and I tried it and didn't really seem to help much. Although, I guess if you stare at something 4-5 times a day every single day (as is the amount of times you have to apply the topical stuff), I guess any gradule change will be unnoticable. Scars make for great stories though. Just say you got it while trying to get an old lady's bag back from a thief. :)
 
Good scar - make up a better story for it.

Use Bacitracin (or Neosporin) around 4 times a day on the scar, even after the stiches are out. When the wound has completely closed and the scab is off you can switch to moisturizing cream. You want to keep the skin moist. Massage the cream in to break up any scar tissue. Don't forget that while the skin is healing it will be more likely to get sunburnt so protect it.
 
Phat Elvis said:
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Use Bacitracin (or Neosporin) around 4 times a day on the scar, even after the stiches are out. When the wound has completely closed and the scab is off you can switch to moisturizing cream. You want to keep the skin moist. Massage the cream in to break up any scar tissue. Don't forget that while the skin is healing it will be more likely to get sunburnt so protect it.
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good advice.

Infections will make scarring worse. Keep it clean. Don't pick the scabs. Once it's mostly healed keep it moisturized (I like Eucerin cream) and vitamin E oil.
That should sort you out.
 
Just having the stitches there pulling the two sides together will be a big help. You'll eventually have a tiny white line there that no one will notice.

I had some guy clock me on the bridge of the nose with a ring on his finger tearing a chunk of flesh out. I didn't have stitches; which is why it looks so horrible.
 
I just checked cochrane and pubmed SamIchi and there's apparently no clinical evidence that vitamin E (tocopherol) creams or vitamin E containing ointments of any kind reduce scarring. In fact they can make scars worse in some cases. I'm quite surprised by this as they are really widely used and recommended for that purpose (even among medical practitioners).

In fact in I can't find any clinical evidence that anything added topically is going to reduce your scar at all. There's lots of studies looking into the claims of scar reducing creams and ointments but nothing with evidence of effectiveness.

I'm not too sure about J&J's 'clinically proven' claims for neosporin. They seem to cleverly mix up the use of silicon sheets for treatment of burns as a physical barrier (as burns are at high risk of infection in hospitals) with the claims for own product (silicon sheet + prophylactic antibiotic for use on non-burns in your case). The bacitracin your Dr recommended is a prophylactic antibiotic as well so it should do the job just fine.

The best you can do is keep in clean as possible, don't pick any scabs, and if it looks like it might be getting infected in any way (even though you're using the Bacitracin) high-tail it back to the doctor ASAP for some full strength antibiotics.
 
mouchoir said:
Fair enough, but I am just offering advice based on personal experience.
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Sorry that wasn't aimed at you mouchoir :). I actually just went on to cochrane to check for myself to see if there's anything better than vitamin E. It was a surprise to me as well as I've been recommended it by a Dr and used it in the past (and thought it was working).

I suppose the hard thing about using a topical cream (of any kind) is that one would have no idea how their scar would turn out without using it. Double blind studies with blinded observers are the only impartial way to do it....
 
Andy is right on the money. For future reference (should it happen again) your best bet is to make sure you get a plastic/reconstructive surgeon to suture you up, not some house officer who has been on call for 36 hours. :)
 
I've got a little scar on my forehead where I bashed it open on a slippery step as a kid. My method of camouflage is to grow my hair over it.

You could always grow your eyelashes over it? Or a high cheek beard.
 
Use the bacitracin religiously.

Then, remember it is a scar and nothing can remove a scar except surgery--even 99% of "xyz will minimize your scars!" or "soften" as they say are snake oil. Surgery obviously would make less sense in this case, but you COULD just budget $500 to get a microdermabrasion next year once it's all healed! That or laser resurfacing are the only two things that can PHYSICALLY CHANGE the surface of your skin, and permanence is not guaranteed but there may be some permanent minimization with either process.
 
mcarnes said:
The hair looks a bit longer. Good man.
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Yea, thanks. I'm thinkin about cutting it again though. It's touching my back and it gets kind of annoying.

Thanks everyone for their input, I'm just going to keep using the bacitracin. I'll give you guys an update pic when I get the stitches out.
 
Try silica gel < its used by plastic surgeons after some procedures.

I dont use anti-bacterial creams they can make things alot worse.
 
DISREGARD STUDY - Try Vitamin E

If you've read enough scientific studies, you will see that this study is very poor, foolish, and without control. Number 1, they use any kind of vitamin E, admittedly. Where's the control? The body recognizes natural vitamin E, but not synthetic. Number 2, they never bother to tell you what strength the vitamin E is. For all you know, it could have insignificant amounts in the oil. Thirdly, there may be other ingedients in the oil that may be causing the very minor side effect. And lastly, the dishonesty of using only 15 subjects. Doctors and scientists ususally don't accept evidence unless it is in the 100s, unless of course it could appear to discredit vitamins. This so called study is obviously an attempt to discredit vitamins, as opposed to the pharmaseutical companies' products.

On the other hand, there are tens of thousands of people that will testify of E getting rid of their scars. This is much more evidence than 15. One personal testimony is my father's. He was running in the rain with his face down, causing him not to see a sign in front of him, thereby knocking a chunk of skin off his face bigger than a quarter, right above his nose. He was told he would need plastic surgery. Not having insurance, that was not an option. He pierced a 400 or 800IU gel of E every day and kept that area rubbed with the greasy oil. He grew prettier skin than he had before. Take that! pharmaceutical prejudice. God made nature and our bodies. They recognize rach other and work together.:p
 
Neosporin works great. I used it when I sliced my finger open and you really can't see the scar.

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Go buy it!
 
After all this time, I'd say a paper bag over the head to minimize the shock to all those gullible kiddies.
 
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