Fading Scars
I have been looking at my scars A LOT lately. Okay, so I’m still fresh from the surgeon’s knife so no duh I have scars. This newest largest scar coupled with all the other scars on my body over the course of years is kind of concerning though. I like my body to be smooth, soft and a uniform shade of chocolatey coffee brown thanks!
Vanity thy name is Florence! (I am fully aware) :-)
But what causes scars for such superficial wounds? Am I doomed to spend my days exfoliating my life away and living a tip toe existence to ensure that I don’t amass any further marks? Shudder! As a person who has devoted a full third of my LIFE to bathing and brushing and oiling, I should be smooth and scar free. But no! I‘ll be honest with you, as of late the scarring has caused me to stumble from the bathroom, exfoliating gloves still on, in a disoriented swoon and collapse onto the floor in a state of ACUTE upset.
As I descended into The Village of the Unwell (occupant one - or so I felt) I started seeing these gashes and then scars on my thighs. It took me a moment to realize that I might scratch my leg at night with a ragged nail and boom… it looks like I’ve been in a knife fight —- and lost. I’m upset because this is interfering with my ability to wear a short anything with no pantyhose. Now you may say Florence, why is this even a thing? Live and let live! Gentle reader, refer to my vanity above. In short, (pun intended) I like an appropriately timed mini dress (with high heels and oiled up legs). I’m calling a thing a thing.
I am aware fully that given all the illness and the lack of activity during the past 1.5 years or so that I have lost, in actuality (albeit I pray temporarily) the ability to wear the aforementioned shortness but - I SHALL RETURN… but WHHYYYYYYY must the return be hampered and delayed by the need to ALSO fade (eradicate) scars for heaven’s sake?
Lets get factual. A scar forms as part of the body’s natural healing process following an injury. When the dermis — the second layer of skin — is damaged, the body forms collagen fibers to repair the damage, resulting in a scar. In most cases, the faster a wound heals, the less collagen will be deposited, and the less noticeable the scar will be. Scarring can either darken or lighten skin. These effects are known as hyperpigmentation and hypopigmentation, respectively. Skin may also change color. Contributing factors to slowing the healing process which I am working on is that the body is severely deficient in essential vitamins and minerals which it needs in order to heal. Hyperpigmentation, or the darkening of the skin due to excess melanin production, is among the most common skin issue (and the one that I suffer with).
Yes, my vanity is affected by the dark razor like marks across my legs and let’s not get started on a poorly timed pimple on the face - the ease and the rate at which I’m scarring is more likely having to do with the now chronic vitamin deficiencies I suffer from. Did you know folic acid helps to maintain the body’s metabolism. It is required for energy production and is also important for the production of red blood cells. As such, chronic under consumption of folic acid can lead to folic acid anemia. Unfortunately, I just got this steer from my doctor which explains a lot.
What do I plan on doing to help rectify the problem? Unfortunately, I have to go on yet another prescription of Folic Acid as the over-the-counter doses aren’t going to help me rebound fast enough. I’m going to continue my night time bathing and brushing routine which includes exfoliating my body with my beloved Ouai St.Barts Scalp & Body Scrub that makes me feel like vacation. I will follow that up with vigorous massage with coconut oil, then followed by a heavy cream (depending on how hot it is). During the day, its all about wearing long sleeved linen to keep the suns rays at bay and sun screen on the face and exposed areas of the body like the backs of my hands. As I align the internal with the external, I’ve looked to see what has worked for others. My research has led me onto the Gram (consider the source) and a fitness influencer who I actually like (most of the time - Alexia Clark). This brave lady with perfectly smooth skin had major gastrointestinal surgery which left a long scar down her middle. Evidently she healed up her scar with the following advice:
Cover all scars and keep them out of the sun with ScarAway Silicone Clear Sheets
Rub in a mixture of Vitamin E Oil and Frankincense into the scar
When the scar is exposed, lets say at nigh or over the weekend use Skinuva Scar
She recommends using red light daily (however I don’t have access to this as yet - although I’m thinking of getting one of those red-light masks for my face - maybe thereafter I’ll strap it to my thigh.
There are a lot of scars that I’m fading, some are on my body, some are internal (mind and spirit) but all these scars are a part of life. There are certain scars I’ve had from childhood and those scars I wouldn’t get rid of for the world. The scar across my left knee from a particularly daring stunt on a bike when I was six or seven for example. In all my striving for “perfection” I am aware that its my scars that have taught me to behold my humanity, acknowledge my fragility and have been visible markers of grit, reliance and even determination.
Do you have scar remedies to share? Please do in the comments below! I’m sure everyone would love to know your insights. I certainly would!