Guest guest Posted February 17, 2004 Report Share Posted February 17, 2004 My 13 year old son has a scar from his open heart surgery that he had at six months old. He didn't touch it for about 11 years, then he started scratching it. I thought I had gotten to the bottom of it about a year and a half ago. I think he thought that it would come off. I explained to him that everyone has scars and they don't come off. I showed him my scars, my husband showed him his scars and my daughter showed him hers. None of us have scars that large, so I'm not sure it had much impact. He did stop irritating his scar for about a year though. For the last several months, he is at it again. He scratches it so that it is now a wound. He is not fond of band-aids at all, but we have been trying to cover it up anyhow. What was a little problem is now turning into a much bigger problem. The kids are grossed out at school when he has blood on his fingers, Special Olympics swim team is starting up in a week and he will be walking around in public without a shirt.....HELP! These are things we've tried: Liquid band-aid that you paint on (thinking that it would be tolerated better then regular band-aids), huge adhesive band-aids, neosporin ointment, trimmed fingernails.... I don't know what else to do. Talking to him doesn't seem to help. He can leave it alone for 99% of the day, but it only takes that 1% of scratching to undo any healing that has managed to take place. Jodi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 17, 2004 Report Share Posted February 17, 2004 I think i would try a vitamen E based cream or good ol' vaseline. Both will aid healing. and have him rub instead of scratch..rubbing will soothe the irritation for him..and keep him from making it worse. I have a scar, quite large that is 25 yrs old. it still bothers me from time to time..especially if i put on any weight and the skin needs to stretch. hth... pj Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 17, 2004 Report Share Posted February 17, 2004 Jodi,He might need a cortisone creme to stop the itch. When you itch excessively the nerve endings become inflamed and then produces itching in and of itself, not from the wound. This is how it was explained to my husband. It becomes a vicious cycle. I would at least try a corticosteroid. Ask the druggist to recommend something over the counter. It can't hurt him and it just might help!! Loree any ideas? scars My 13 year old son has a scar from his open heart surgery that he had at six months old. He didn't touch it for about 11 years, then he started scratching it. I thought I had gotten to the bottom of it about a year and a half ago. I think he thought that it would come off. I explained to him that everyone has scars and they don't come off. I showed him my scars, my husband showed him his scars and my daughter showed him hers. None of us have scars that large, so I'm not sure it had much impact. He did stop irritating his scar for about a year though. For the last several months, he is at it again. He scratches it so that it is now a wound. He is not fond of band-aids at all, but we have been trying to cover it up anyhow. What was a little problem is now turning into a much bigger problem. The kids are grossed out at school when he has blood on his fingers, Special Olympics swim team is starting up in a week and he will be walking around in public without a shirt.....HELP! These are things we've tried: Liquid band-aid that you paint on (thinking that it would be tolerated better then regular band-aids), huge adhesive band-aids, neosporin ointment, trimmed fingernails.... I don't know what else to do. Talking to him doesn't seem to help. He can leave it alone for 99% of the day, but it only takes that 1% of scratching to undo any healing that has managed to take place. Jodi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 17, 2004 Report Share Posted February 17, 2004 Jodi, Might sound strange, but can you have a doctor look at it and make sure that they didn't bury any hair folicles when they stitched him back up? That caused my husband so much grief about 10 years ago. He had a gland removed in the groin area, lol, and they weren't very careful when they stitched him back together. When the hair started growning back, he ran into infection, terrible itching, and me digging them out occasionally, even today. It might be that maybe he is starting to grow chest hair, and it is irritating him? Who knows, lol, just a thought. Beth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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