:wink2: Hi. I will be banded next month. I am concerned with the scarring. Will you guys be kind enough to post pictures of your scars and how long its' been since surgery. I'm getting cold feet because of this.:confused2:

GDC,

I don't have pix of my scars but I tell you they are not bad. I only have 2 although the average I believe is between 4 or 5. The smallest one is half inch long and the other one which where the port is and usually the biggest is just 2 inches long. Mine are located between the braline and waistline. For the outside I did not have stitches, my dr uses the steri-strips so I have no scars from stitches. And I tell as the days go by you start to notice them less.

So don't be afraid...It's one of the best decisions you will have made in your life.

Hi GDC - there's a whole sticky thread on this topic at: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/scar-stages-share-yours-6117/

Lots of photos of scars at various stages. Hope this helps.

I'll be banded at the end of the month.. and scarring was one of my concerns too. I have yet to meet anyone that's angry or self-conscious of their scars. That's not too shabby at all. In fact, my cousin had gastric 4 yrs ago. Her scars are so small and faded now that you really have to look to see them. Don't let a good war mark hold you back!

i have light skin and my scars are dark. at first i was worried about if they'd ever fade but now i think of them as my "battle to be thin" scars... a reminder of everything i'm working so hard for. i'm not ashamed of my scars and when i lay out in the sun i lift the bottom of my tankini up so my stomach gets some sun too... i feel very comfortable showing my scars.

what u use for the scars to heal?

My scars are hardly noticeable at 5 months out, and I have 5. The port scar is about 2 inches long and is pink in the middle but is already fading to nothing. The other ones are not really noticeable unless you are looking for them. I did not do anything special to protect my scars other than keep incisions clean and bandaged. I am also a person who scars easy (I have indents in my arms from donating blood over the years).

Really they are nothing to worry about . . . but one thing to keep in mind, if my scars where ten times worse it would be worth it for my much flatter belly. I probably wont wear a bikini but I look really great in my clothes now.

Feel free to check out mine in my profile: www.lapbandtalk.com/members/-love--albums-progress.html

Thank you for all the encouragement!!

dont be scared of the scars!!! extra tiny 4-kinda like a stab & 1 big one which is small itself, maybe an inch & a half tops! one month out & i can barely see the 4 & the biggest is faded---its ALL GOOD

I'm 8 months out almost you can only see my port scar and that is a very fine 1 1/2 inch line that blends with my stretch marks. The tiny scars are nothing to worry about at all.

this is my tummy 2 and a half years out. I scar moderately, meaning I get a zit and it takes about six months for the red mark to go away, I have fair skin and scars show. Still I'm not too unhappy with the way mine have ended up, pretty good trade off.

DH was banded 4 weeks ago and his already look like mine, but he wont let me post his gut on the net, lol.

sorry its huge, but you need it to be to be able to see the scars

Jachut, that is amazing!! You look great!!

I hope you don't feel ofended by me asking ... you look pretty thin now... can someone feel your port when ...ummhmm.. getting jiggy?

I'm afraid that it will call for ackward moments!!

Jachut, that is amazing!! You look great!!

I hope you don't feel ofended by me asking ... you look pretty thin now... can someone feel your port when ...ummhmm.. getting jiggy?

I'm afraid that it will call for ackward moments!!

Jachut, that is amazing!! You look great!!:thumbs_down:

I hope you don't feel ofended by me asking ... you look pretty thin now... can someone feel your port when ...ummhmm.. getting jiggy?

I'm afraid that it will call for ackward moments!!

This is a topic dear to me, so let me share some advice with you. I wanted to manage my scars in the best way possible, and I was initially apprehensive about scars too.

Other bandsters don't care too much about scars -- they just *hope* they heal, and maybe use some Mederma. (A weak product in my opinion, and better for small cuts, not laproscopic surgical scars).

I wanted to be real proactive about my scar treatment. The *key* time to treat scars is in the initial weeks out of surgery and the first 6 months of healing. After that, it is real tough to make significant progress. The sooner you act, the better!!!

Also, let's be clear. Surgical scars need to be treated differently than burn scars. So, please do not follow advice for burns. For your SURGICAL scars here's the best treatment. I say the "best" treatment, for a few reasons. 1. I have compared my scars to other lap-band patients (in-person) and can see a big difference in my healing.

2. Some of the best dermatologists are here in NYC, and am taking advantage of this and seeing the top rated docs in this field.

3. I have done extensive research on this topic. Not just 3 hours of internet surfing and reading some opinions, but real research into the science of how the skin heals. I also looked into the treatment on plastic surgery on breasts and face to see the treatments available there. So, based on ALL of this, here's my advice:

Dermatologist -- please see a dermatologist if you want proper scar care. My dermatologist monitored my scars and recommended the following:

• Kelo-Cote -- Start using 1 week after surgery: http://www.skinstore.com/<wbr>store/product.asp?catID=8975&<wbr>prodID=8977 Also available for half the price on eBay. It is a gel you apply 2x/day daily for the first 7 months. My scars look great!
  
• Arnica Montana -- available at GNC. I took tons of this starting 3 weeks before my surgery as it really reduces bruising and has helped heal my scars. Promotes healing. I used it for 8 weeks post surgery too.
  
• Steroid -- 2 of my scars were raised, thus my dermatologist injected a tiny amount of steroid into the scar. Within a day, they were flat again! Regular visits to the dermatologist are necessary.
  
• No Sun -- Stay out of the sun!!! Sun exposure will "set" the scars and make further healing and improvement difficult. My dermatologist recommended at least 1 year with no sun exposure, and 2 years if I can stand it. This was not a problem for me since I do not have a good bikini body anyway! I wear a one-piece bathing suit, and put zinc oxide or strong sun block on my scars even under my bathing suit. It is more difficult for men to keep scars out of the sun for obvious reasons.