laser treatment on a scar

Suewre

About 6 months ago I had a lump removed from my breast. The operation went well, and the lump was benign. But I now have a large, raised, very red scar. It is about 9cm in length, and about 3/4 cm wide. It is quite high on my breast, so in a swimming costume the whole thing is visible, and in a V necked jumper the end is visible. I saw the plastic surgeon at the hospital on Thursday and he said there was nothing he could do for it. It is a bit raised, and he said if he tried to cut it out, it would only reform in the same way (something about me obviously being genetically disposed to lumpy scars?).

He said the only thing that could help was laser treatment to reduce the redness. Only this is not available on the NHS. He has referred me to the Nuffield in Exeter, but he wasn't sure how much it would cost. He said about £175 for the consultation and initial treatment, and then it would be decided how many treatments I needed.

On the one hand, I would like my scar to be a lot less red. On the rare occasions that I do go out, there are some tops of mine that I don't feel I can wear. If I am wearing a top where a bit of the scar can be seen I catch people staring at it.

On the other hand, I am very much aware that I could have an awful lot more to be concerned about than the colour and size of a scar, and it could cost a lot of money just for my vanity. What if the lump comes back (they don't know why it formed in the first place) and they have to operate again? That would be money down the drain.

Anyone know a bit more about the costs involved? Or how many treatments it is likely to take?

DH says it is up to me. He says he doesn't notice the scar, he is just greatful everything went ok.

innovate

I am not a doctor but wouldn't ever let a laser anywhere near my breasts unless there is a life-threathening condition, especially not if I had had a lump before. 6 months isn't a long time for a scar of this size to heal up - can't you give it at least another 6 months for the skin to recover some more?

In the meantime, use a good foundation cream to cover the redness when you go out (or wear something with less cleavage?). May be even look at theatrical makeup (seach for it on the web) - this will cover up everything. Some is even waterproof, so you can use it with your swimming costume. All this will cost you massively less than any treatment that may or may not work, and it's all totally harmless.

Sounds like you have the full support of the person who sees you without clothes - so all you need is to increase your own comfort with the scar, and cosmetics can do a lot for that!

Bennifred

I can imagine your dilemma, Suewre - I think I'd feel the same. I do agree with innovate to a degree, though, in that six months is a relatively short time for the skin to heal. The thing that came to my mind when I read your post was - what about those plasters/dressings you can get in pharmacies that reduce the redness/unevenness of scars? I can't remember what they're called, but I seem to remember that they have been proven to have considerable success. It may be worth trying before shelling out for laser treatment? Good luck and glad the outcome of your op. was a good one.

innovate

You could also check http://www.breastcancersupport.co.uk/ - that's a forum run by 6 women who had breast cancer. Or breast cancer care

Ted_Hutchinson

Comparison of intense pulsed light to 595-nm long-pulsed pulsed dye laser for treatment of hypertrophic surgical scars: a pilot study. It seems to be an effective treatment.

xueta

Ted_Hutchinson wrote:

Comparison of intense pulsed light to 595-nm long-pulsed pulsed dye laser for treatment of hypertrophic surgical scars: a pilot study. It seems to be an effective treatment.

Ted, I am sure you mean well, but please be careful when quoting scientific literature.

The abstract you link to is a pilot study only, evaluating only 10 patients with breast scars treated by a specific technique that is not currently recognised as a treatment for scars. As such, the OP should not take this to be a recommendation (or otherwise) for its use!

Ted_Hutchinson

xueta wrote:

Ted, I am sure you mean well, but please be careful when quoting scientific literature.

The abstract you link to is a pilot study only, evaluating only 10 patients with breast scars treated by a specific technique that is not currently recognised as a treatment for scars. As such, the OP should not take this to be a recommendation (or otherwise) for its use!

The point about putting a link is to enable the reader to see what the latest thinking is. I do expect those who are interested to actually read the links and come to their own conclusions. They will, having read the link, be better able to understand what will be said to them when they have a consultation.

A fuller description of what might be involved is available EMEDICINE
If the initial consultation is to be £175 you can be sure the total cost is going to be significantly higher. If you start with the knowledge that the results aren't going to be 100% and several treatments will be necessary you are much better prepared to understand what you are getting into.

In the same way you will only understand the financial services being offered to you at a IFA if you have thought and discussed round the issues previously so when you are actually offered a choice you will have a basic understanding of what the choice you are being offered is about.

Savvy_Sue

I'm sure that there used to be an organisation - might even have been the Red Cross - showing people how to do makeup to mask birthmarks and scars. I know this might not be the answer if you're wanting to swim in your swimming costume, but you can get waterproof make up, can't you? And again, I'm sure the Breast Cancer people would give good advice.

I think Bio-oil is supposed to help reduce scars, and Vitamin E oil? I bought some of the former, but can't comment on its usefulness as a) my scar is under my hair and I didn't want to make my hair all oily b) I can't see it anyway but I'm told it looks very neat and is now hardly visible!

Iona_Penny

Wow that was some lump!

But seriously I really dont think enough time has passed for the scar to reach it's final appearance. I had a c-section scar and was then operated on again about 5 weeks later where it was extended beautifully up the right side of my abdomen. It was wide and red and the whole area was v. sensitive to the touch for months.

Now, years later it matches my skin tone and although is still very obviously a scar the transformation is unbelievable.

I realise that your scar is sometimes visible but I think you should try and wear it with pride, reminding you and others of your successful outcome; and seriously try and forget about it for say 2 years. Take photos every 6 months to see if you can see improvement and after that time if you want to pursue treatment for it you can.

The human body is truly amazing - just give it time to work its wonders.

bargainaholic

I've just had laser treatment on a scar - it has made a difference, but not a huge one. The consultant said a second treatment was not worthwhile.

My scar was 26 years old, so it had reached its own healing potential.

The treatment takes a matter of minutes, and just feels like pinpricks. It almost instantly comes up in a big black bruise which takes about 10-14 days to die down. The results become apparent quite slowly, 2-3months.

I can't tell you about costs, because I did manage to get mine on the NHS. Partly down to a 7 year wait, & partly down to the postcode lottery I'm afraid. There aren't many laser units in the country & some of them will only treat children etc etc.

There are things you can do before going down this route. Boots, and probably others, sell Scar Reduction Plasters made by Elastoplast & a range of creams called Fade Out. These products are specifically for new scars and are aimed at promoting better healing of scar tissue, & reducing colouration.

The Red Cross do cosmetic camouflage sesions in local hospitals, referral through your GP should get you into one of these. My appointment is in Nov, & having had to alter the time I know they do a session at my hospital one morning a month, so probably do others on a similar basis.

BTW Boots.com have got an offer on this week £5 off a £25 spend

Best of luck, if you want more details PM me.

Suewre

I didn't want to post a reply until I had thought it all over and decided what to do.

I think my first thought when the plastic surgeon said that he advised laser treatment for my scar, but I would have to pay for it was 'We can't afford to pay for that!' Then my second thought was 'We can't let cost get in the way of what the surgeon says' Then I posted on here. I am not sure what result I wanted to get from posting. But there were some interesting comments.

I realise that my second thought was a knee jerk reaction to my first thought. It is hard to put it into words, but I think it was still about the money side of it. I had to get beyond that.

I have checked the dates, and it is 7 months since my op. And 2 months since the nurse suggested I rub moisturiser into it. The moisturiser has made quite a bit of difference. I think I will carry on using that, and look into the Bio-oil and vitamin E oil. I did ask the plastic surgeon about the plasters, but he said that they wouldn't help with my scar, due to the way it had gone since the op - like I said before, he said I was genetically prone to lumpy scars.

They don't know why my lump formed, they don't know what it was. In fact, when i was due to get my results of what they found when the examined the lump after they took it out, I was put off twice as they hadn't got the results back. Then I got a letter from the hospital saying that the pathologist was puzzled by my lump and had sent it off for a second opinion. Not what I needed to hear! I was given my result by the consultant surgeon over the phone. "Good morning Mrs ***, this is Mr ***, I have the results, they have decided it is a benign tumor. Goodbye"

I don't think I will have laser treatment, at least not at this stage.

Thank you all

Sue