Hey everyone...this question has been on my mind and I just wanted to hear what you all had to say about this...

After seeing your scars (placement, healing, big/small, color)...if you were able to do it all over again, would you???

My doctor does the incisions like a tummy tuck kinda thing( straight across, 4 incisions with spaces in between), im not to happy about it and i'm not sure how I heal as i've never had surgery or deep scars so i'm just wondering how you all feel about the scar situation!

Any replies would be awesome!

Surgery set for March 26th

My scars are really small and already healing really well (had surgery on 12/17). Mine are also across my tummy like your surgeon does (one that is one inch and three that are less than 1/3 inch). There is also one under my left boob that is so small you can't really even see it anymore. With how well they have already healed, I think they will be barely noticeable within a year.

I heard that the scar treatment sheets that they sell at CVS are really good so I bought some of those today. I have my first fill on Wednesday so I'm gonna ask then what they think of the scar treatment sheets and if its OK for me to start using them. I assume it will be since my wounds are all closed, but just want to check to make sure.

But, honestly, even if I was left w/a horrible scar on my tummy, it would be worth it. At least you can hide a scar on your stomach. You cannot hide 100 pounds hanging off the front of your stomach. LOL

Of course, if the scarring is a really big concern for you, you could seek out a surgeon that does the single incision lapband through the belly button. For me, it just was not something I seeked out because I have no intention of ever wearing a bikini again no matter how much weight I lose. I will be ecstatic to just look OK in a one piecer. ;->

Scars...Well for me it really didn't matter because I had a huge scar from a tumor in my stomach that I had removed in my 20's. My scars are healing nicely. I am waiting for the 1 year anniversary so that i can finish to transition with a tummy tuck. The scars will be barely noticeable at that time as I have had other scars that healed nicely....Lets see..scars covered up by clothes or clothes that dont cover up your weight...I am going with the scars every time. As long as they aren't on my face...Dont care........Have a fab weekend...

My scars are already a very light pink. I have one that is 1 inch and 4 that are just puncture marks.

I would do it again. I would much rather be 115 pounds thinner with a few tiny scars than have a big fat belly with no scars.

Heck yeah! I started in an 18 and graduated to a size 10 in a little over 6 months. Totally worth it!

Mine are healing very well.. so absolutely, I sure would! Even if they left a bigger than I expected scar, it's still better than the alternative.

I don't think I will ever wear a bikini again anyhow so all the scars will always be covered for me. At 55 my main concern was feeling a little healthier since being overweight had brought on so many health issues for me.

I am wearing size 10 now and have some size 8's that I picked up on clearance at Kohls just waiting. I haven't looked at bathing suits yet but I know my size 18 won't fit me this year.

I had a mastectomy and reconstruction on the right breast and then reduction of the left so it would match the mastectomy surgery. I have scars on both breasts, under both arms, and across my stomach from those surgeries. the 5 little scars on my stomach are nothing.

My problem now is that I am losing my hair in globs for the past 2 months. But I have been bald before (during chemo) so even this will pass eventually.

Think of your scars as a private badge for what you have done to make yourself healthier.

I wish my surgeon did not use staples and had used glue and steri strips. Now he does the one incision surgery, so I am sure many of his patients must have gave him similar feed back. I know I will never wear a bikini again but I hate seeing them every morning in the mirror.

Hey everyone...this question has been on my mind and I just wanted to hear what you all had to say about this...

:wink:

Hmmm....let's see...scars or a buddha belly and 120 pounds overweight....hmmm....

Yeah, I think I'd still have to go with the scars.

They aren't that bad anyway.

I wish my surgeon did not use staples and had used glue and steri strips. Now he does the one incision surgery, so I am sure many of his patients must have gave him similar feed back. I know I will never wear a bikini again but I hate seeing them every morning in the mirror.

Staples?? Why on earth? the Lap in LapBand stands for Laproscopic. U should have had little holes. I would have chosen a DIFFERENT surgeon! I'm 3 weeks post op and have 3 little 1/3 inch and a 1 inch in my belly button where the band was insterted. In 3 weeks all but a tiny one on the top of my tummy have healed completely and are barely noticeable. I use just plain ol neosporin.

.... but I hate seeing them every morning in the mirror.

I love seeing my scars every morning. It is a constant reminder, every day, to eat right, chew, take small bites, plan my meals that day, plan where I am going to get the exercise in that day. And, as others have said already, they are fading, and healing nicely, and are way better than the body that I am leaving behind. There is a great song, by Point of Grace I think, Heal the wound, but leave the scars. I know, that song is not talking about surgery, but I somehow apply it to my situation anyway. "the wound" being my head hunger, the mental games, the over eating, the late night eating, and even now, when we sometimes eat around the band, all of those things I need "healed". The scars are a reminder, both to me in my situation, and in the song that they sing.

OMG! Unless you have a surgeon who is a butcher, there is no contest!!! I would do it over in a heartbeat! and I'm only 21 days out. My scars are healing nicely - I have 5 scars - three really tiny (maybe 1/4"), one that is about 1/2" or so, and one that I assume is my port scar, that is a litter over 1". I am putting Bio Oil on it at least twice a day. But I'm with most of the other ladies when they say you can hide a scar - who wants to carry around 100+ lbs - you can't hide that!!! :wink: Good luck!!!

There is no question at all in my mind. My doctor used the Dermabond glue so after about 2 months now, I am completely healed with a little pink line left. But honestly, for the way I feel now... I would have been ok with whatever kinda scar! The weight loss and all that comes with it, is SOOOOO worth it!!:wink:

My small scars are invisible now at a bit over 4 years out. All I have is a faint white line over my port. Its fine, not puckered or distorted, just a white line.

My scars are really small and already healing really well (had surgery on 12/17). Mine are also across my tummy like your surgeon does (one that is one inch and three that are less than 1/3 inch). There is also one under my left boob that is so small you can't really even see it anymore. With how well they have already healed, I think they will be barely noticeable within a year.

I heard that the scar treatment sheets that they sell at CVS are really good so I bought some of those today. I have my first fill on Wednesday so I'm gonna ask then what they think of the scar treatment sheets and if its OK for me to start using them. I assume it will be since my wounds are all closed, but just want to check to make sure.

But, honestly, even if I was left w/a horrible scar on my tummy, it would be worth it. At least you can hide a scar on your stomach. You cannot hide 100 pounds hanging off the front of your stomach. LOL

Of course, if the scarring is a really big concern for you, you could seek out a surgeon that does the single incision LAP-BAND® through the belly button. For me, it just was not something I seeked out because I have no intention of ever wearing a bikini again no matter how much weight I lose. I will be ecstatic to just look OK in a one piecer. ;->

do you by chance see your port?

I

Think of your scars as a private badge for what you have done to make yourself healthier.

I love this line!!!

I'm almost 6 weeks out with 2 larger (about 3 cm) incisions and 3 that are less than 1 centimeter...the three smaller ones are already fading, the larger 2 are in the process of going from hot pink to pale pink...no biggie..if they're anything like my gallbladder scars I won't even notice them in 6 months....BUT...like everyone above, I wouldn't care if I did. Scars don't scare me, diabetes and heart disease do....