| Things I've tried so far..... Elastoplast Scar reduction Patches Regime...... This one tells you to apply the patches for a minimum of 12 hours day or night. Claiming the "self adhesive patch activates the skin's own regeneration process in a natural way by ensuring the right temperature of the skin. "Apparently" the treatment works slowly and will require at least 8-10 weeks of daily application before the results will be noticable." So off I went on a mission...applying for a minimum of 12 hours day AND night to the extent that my chest now has a slight 'shadow' of where the plaster has been applied. With absolutely no reduction or flattening of the scars. |
| Cica-Care Scar Treatment Another one that claims to be "The effective treatment for scars- Red and raised scars, both old and new" This ones a silicone Gel sheet, a new version having tried silicone gel sheets previously with no result what so ever. The back of the pack claims all sorts of bold statements like "medically proven" and "90% of scars improved in appearance, flattening and fading". Once again I diligently applied day and night only to add to my new 'shadow' on my chest. No flattening as yet... |
| Onto other far fetched treatments.... Bio-Oil Claiming to be a "specialist skincare for scars" (plus other things...stretch marks, blemishes etc) to be rubbed into the skin every day or used in a bath. This one also markets itself with the eye catching claim: "Contains the breakthrough ingredient PurCellin Oil TM" Well the purcellin oil doesnt seem to do anything...I think I used this one every day for 6 months with once again absolutely no visable improvement. |
| Scar So Soft This one I found on the internet which is another oil based product which claims to flatten and reduce raised scars. |
| Calendula Oil Another homeopathic remedy which claims to reduce scar tissue dramatically. Apart from smelling nice there was no visable reduction in any of my scars. |
| Chinese Herbal Remedies Now this was probably the most wishful thinking of them all. Both on my part and on the part of the presciber. I entered the Chinese Herbal Remedy store and explained my condition, pointed them out and asked what they could offer. I was given what I could only describe as a bag full of dirt, advised to mix 2 tablespoons of it daily with a glass of water and abbracadabra they'd be gone. Well my �100 certainly went! Yeh well I could only stomach one attempt at drinking mud before I went and mulched the garden.... |
| The more serious treatments... Pulse Dye Laser Treatment This one has been carried out by the NHS and I've read on a few websites that this treatment is one of the most successful. It consists of a visit to a doctor once a month for 6 months whereby my scars are shot at with a laser about 10 times per scar. Side effects are painfull, unsightly and generally unpleasant. The scars look bruised and occasionally bleed after the event, they scab over and then go back to normal within about 2 weeks. So far....5 treatments into it I've not noticed any improvement or difference. |
| Steroid Injections This involved about 4 lots of steroid injections directly into the scars themselves. It supposedly was going to stop the scars growing and reduce them dramatically. The only legacy from this one is a visable hole in the scar on my chest. |
| Plastic Surgery Now I'm yet to head down this route but I did some investigation into it last year as a bit of a last resort. I was sick of Doctors telling me that they'd never seen or treated Keloids before and thought that a trip to London's Harley street might give me something at least!! So I arrive...a Harley street clinic where I meet with a Surgeon who said that he would tackle my scars for the small fee of �6000. He obviously couldnt guarentee anything and proposed that he would preform a number of cuts and then sew it up neatly. |
| I then went and saw another 'expert' on Harley street who talked to me about the ultimate combination therapy offering steroid injections, laser treatment and gel sheets. I could only smirk knowingly. |
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| My Treatments |
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