My Scar

[daniel_r_clarke]

I had an accident in Aug 2004 and as a result i now have a large scar on my shoulder. I have been told by a number of people that the stitches were removed far too soon and as a result the scar tissue has become large and overdeveloped. I belive this is called Kiloid scar tissue. Do you know if there is anyway on the nhs to have this rectified?

Its just such as unsightly scar and is quite embarrasing that everytime i go swimmign etc people look at it.

[stangoh]

Hi,

I suppose the best thing to do now is to go to your GP and highlight the problem and quote to him that this problem is causing a lot of embarassment and as a result has affected you psycho-emotionally (not sure what words to use but you take a wild guess) due to embarassment. Get your GP to refer you to a NHS hospital for an appointment in outpatients.

The problem with keloid scar is that while some trust treat them, some doesn't. Most often you will be referred to a plastics surgery department and if the referral by your GP is successful, you will be on the waiting list for 6 months because they are usually classified as 'routine'/non-urgent.

Some NHS trust will refer you to their 'Exceptional Treatment Committee' within the Local Health Authority you live in (can't remember the name but it goes something like that) and some will even base the eligibility for you to get treated by age for some procedure. Either way, start the ball rolling by visiting your GP.

Rgds,
stangoh

[daniel_r_clarke]

Sorry for the time taken to reply. Things have very busy recently with my exams, my bank charges refund, trying to sort out some compo for the scar and life in general!

Its very good advice you have given me and i have taken it all on board. It will be a lengthy process but in the end i hope it is worth it! I'll keep the thread updated once i have news.

Thanks again!

[noelle27]

Originally Posted by daniel_r_clarke

Sorry for the time taken to reply. Things have very busy recently with my exams, my bank charges refund, trying to sort out some compo for the scar and life in general!

Its very good advice you have given me and i have taken it all on board. It will be a lengthy process but in the end i hope it is worth it! I'll keep the thread updated once i have news.

Thanks again!

Hi,

I don't know where you're at with regards to treating your scar.
I had a keloid scar that I was unhappy with. It is true you could be waiting up to 6 months for a referal on the NHS.
They can cut out the keloid, so you will have a new scar that is more acceptable in appearance to you. But there is a 50% risk that it will return and grow even larger (you will have to evaluate whether you think that risk is worth it). Or they can give you steroid injections which will help significantly to flatten the scar and so improve its appearance.
I dont know how big your scar is but silicone gel sheets and gel are also very effective. See http://www.dermatix.co.uk/portal. Its available over the counter cost approx £30 for a 15ml tube. But its also available on prescription, so it would cheaper if you could get your GP to prescribe it to you.
Hope this helps.

[Butterbean]

I'm not a doctor but I have up until quite recently worked for some years in the NHS with a plastic surgery consultant.

You may be advised that as the scar is on your shoulder it's not advisable to have it excised - partly because as the previous poster said there's a good chance it will recur as it's a keloid - but also because as it's on your shoulder it's subject to a lot of movement and healing would be compromised. (Depends on the size though, and on its exact location.)

Injects of Triamcinolone (the steroid they use for this) has very good results in many, many people with keloid scars, and can flatten it out. You need to make sure that you have these regularly - you're usually asked to go back in four to six weeks each time. If you don't go the effects of the injections you've had already will most likely be lost and you'd have to start the injection course again. Another thing to bear in mind is that most keloids occur in people with black skin, and one of the side effects of the injections is that you can sometimes get a depigmentation effect in the area of the scar. You'd need to decide whether that possibility is worse than keeping the scar in its present state.

Unfortunately as another previous poster has pointed out it's often the case that PCTs have to approve the initial appointment before you even get to see the specialist. If it's causing pain, or restricting your movement or you have other clinical symptoms, you're more likely to be granted an appointment than if it is embarrassment. If it's causing psychological problems and no clinical symptoms, then before funding is approved they may ask that you have an assessment to determine how badly it's affecting you. However, in saying that, there does unfortunately appear to be a postcode lottery operating, and where I was working, one person in one PCT catchment area might be refused funding for something like this, and another just over the border in another PCT catchment area would be approved. Very unfair in my view but there you go.

The waiting time for a decision from the PCT can take months depending on where in the country you live (that was my experience and flippin frustrating it was too, especially for the patients waiting for a decision) but if your appointment is approved then you'll be seen quite quickly after that.

Hope all goes well

[sues35]

My son has scarring to his eye due to an operation which should never have gone ahead last year. He is still under the specialist who performed the op, and we have started proceedings along the lines of complaining and gaining some form of compenation for him. I would be interested to recieve any postings about any other people who have had experience at this as i have never claimed compensation before (we have a good solicitor involved). Also thanks to this site i am currently claiming back my bank charges, will keep you posted. Have just sent letter asking for payment today!! WIll keep you informed

Sue

Life is what you make it, just make sure no one makes from you!!

[choncho02]

I have the same type of scar and i was not able to be compensated or was the dr. said to be in the wrong. I always felt the stitches were removed too soon. I haven't tried to go the plastic surgery route, mainly because all i keep hearing is that it will just come back and maybe even worse. i was wondering though if anybody knew if you get kiloid scars, would you be able to get a tattoo. i'm worried that it might just do the same thing, being scar tissue and all.

[noelle27]

Hi, if you are going to get a tattoo anywhere near the region of your keloid scar, then I would say that is very risky.

If you mean getting a tattoo somewhere else then it should be ok, but as with anything there is always a slight risk.

I have a tattoo and I was fine and it healed perfectly. But I also have a keloid scar somewhere else.

[mrsc]

Hi,

I too have a Keloid scar,I had open heart surgery,so mine is right down the middle.it doesn't bother me at all,I had to go back to have one of the clips holding the chest bone together removed as you could wiggle it about,and it made me feel sick,my kids were all quite small youngest was only a year old and he constantly caught it with his elbow,and it could get painful.
I was advised if I went ahead and had it removed the scar might end up worse they did cut away some of it but it just came back.You do notice some people looking,but they don't like to ask.I didn't have stitches they were all on the inside.It was explained to me that some people just overproduce scar tissue.