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Once you are finally healed
over, you will have a war wound to remember your battle with
Pilonidal Disease. The scar will go through many changes over
it's first year as it remodels and settles. Many people are
alarmed at how ugly their newly healed scar seems to be, fear not;
what it looks like on the day it finally heals is not what it will
look like after a year. The scar will soften and fade to a
point where it is barely noticeable (with the exception of those
who've had a flap surgery) within six to eighteen months.
The scar will be very tender
for the first 6 months, and for most people, it will go through
occasional periods of tenderness for the rest of your life. Once
damaged, skin will never completely regain all the ability to
stretch that it had before. I have found that my scar (at 4
years post-op) gets tender once or twice a year. Almost always in
conjunction with my going through a period of not sitting properly;
slouching down in my desk chair while I work. My remedy for this is
to immediately start sitting straight again and to start swabbing
the scar with No Bump RX every other day until the tenderness
subsides.
Scar care immediately post
surgery: Many people put Vitamin E on the scar to soften
it after it has healed, but there is no true consensus as to whether
this actually works. You can also try a number of scar
treatments available OTC (over the counter) at your local drug
store, some can be rather pricey and it is entirely up to you if you
want to spend the money on a scar that very few people will ever
see.
Mederma Scar Care
(www.mederma.com)
Scarsof Scar
Softening Cream (www.scarsof.com)
Scarguard Scar
Care (www.scarguard.com)
Long Term Scar Care: I
am a devout believer in the power of No Bump RX to keep further
Pilonidal problems from developing. No Bump RX (and Tend Skin,
a similar product) are designed to reduce inflammation and ingrown
hairs. Their primary active ingredient is...aspirin!
This stuff works great on pimples too! It can be harsh, so be
careful about how often you use it. Everyone's skin is
different and you will have to experiment to see how yours reacts.
I found every other day is ok for me, for about a week. Apply
the product using a Q-tip so you can control where it goes.
Use once a month after the scar has settled somewhat to head off any
inflammation or blocked pores in the cleft. BE CAREFUL about
not getting either of these products on the sensitive tissues around
the anus or genitals! OUCH!
No Bump RX and Tend Skin:
can be ordered over the web (for more $$) but the best place to
get them is at your local beauty supply store. Sally Beauty
Supply carries No Bump RX for about $8 a bottle. Tend Skin is
pricier and more likely to be found at anyplace the does
Electrolysis. You local beauty supply store can probably also
order either product special for you.
This page last updated:
03/25/2007
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