A scar I hate is looking even worse

December 18, 2018 10:15 AM

I have a biopsy scar on my arm that I hate. I banged it on a cabinet door last weekend and now it's significantly darker. What can I do to minimize the appearance of this scar, both short- and long-term? Pics inside.

The scar.

I received this scar from a mole biopsy. I hate it.

Now that it's darkened from the impact this weekend, is there anything I should do now to make it less prominent? Is there anything I can do in the long-term?

When I'm wearing short sleeves, I cover it up with a large cuff bracelet, otherwise, I try to ignore it.

I wish the practitioner had suggested/offered a punch biopsy with stitches (like she did to the mole on my forehead! on the very same visit! among other screw-ups!), and looking at this scar just makes me angry about it all over again.

Please don't suggest tattoos: I don't want a bigger visual reminder of it.

posted by homodachi to Health & Fitness (18 answers total)

The color is probably from bruising. In both the short and long term, you could get something like Dermablend to cover it up.

For the long term, I would go see a dermatologist - maybe not the one who gave you the biopsy. Ask what the options are. There may be a relatively easy way to reduce the scar.
posted by showbiz_liz at 10:25 AM on December 18, 2018 [4 favorites]

You don't say how long ago you had the biopsy. My experience is that it will pretty much go away if you follow the wound care instructions. It may take a while. Consult your wound care instructions or ask your practitioner about what you put on the wound.

Since the practitioner obviously knew about punch biopsies (using that procedure during the same session) there is no doubt a reason she chose to not use it. If you didn't ask why, perhaps you should. There are a variety of factors involved in a choice of procedure.
posted by uncaken at 10:42 AM on December 18, 2018

Response by poster: To add context: the biopsy was a year and a half ago. It has always been pink/red. The deepened purple/black coloring is new.
posted by homodachi at 10:45 AM on December 18, 2018

That looks like it might be a keloid. They can be lessened with steroid injections, or other types of treatment. I'd go to a different dermatologist to see what they can do.
posted by Fig at 10:55 AM on December 18, 2018 [7 favorites]

Mederma gel was recommended by a doctor who did a minor surgery for me, and it really seemed to help. Vitamin E gel also helps if you're feeling any stiffness in the skin on the scar. But it takes a long time for these things to fade; my big scar on my tummy from my hysterectomy probably took four years to become the almost invisible line that it is today. Get some gel for it, and it will help speed the process.
posted by backwards compatible at 10:58 AM on December 18, 2018 [1 favorite]

I would look into silicone sheets. I personally recommend the NewGel brand. They work on new AND existing scars.
posted by JoeZydeco at 11:00 AM on December 18, 2018 [1 favorite]

This looks and sounds more like it's a bruise under the scar that should go away within a week, rather than a permanent change to the scar, and it'll probably be back to the usual pink/red soon enough.

I've got several similar-but-larger scars myself and they are pretty annoying with how long they take to fade. A dermatologist will have better options for this, but if you want to try some things on your own, I'm pretty sure those scar-reducing silicone sheets are over-the-counter now and might be a good option. Mederma's also available. I've never had amazing results with it (though have also never applied it as regularly as the instructions suggest because I am lazy).

And yeah, a bit of makeup can be useful for immediate coverage. Definitely make sure to apply sunscreen over it if you're exposing it to the world.
posted by asperity at 11:01 AM on December 18, 2018

Seconding Dermablend. I used it to cover a flat, thumb-sized skin graft scar on my calf until it faded. The makeup completely covered it and didn't wear off all day.

If you live near a Macy's, you *might* be able to get a free sample from their makeup counter. Uncle Google may also be able to point you to cheap or free samples online before you commit to a full-size purchase. A little does go a long way.

Long-term, I'm sure your doctor probably told you about being extra careful about sun exposure. I also had some luck using a store-brand version of Mederma gel to soften up some surgical scars on my hand (trigger finger).
posted by The Underpants Monster at 11:05 AM on December 18, 2018 [1 favorite]

Best answer: I agree that there's a bruise underneath. It will fade and a bracelet is probably the easiest way to cover it for now. Makeup would also work, but if it's in an area that gets a fair amount of rubbing from clothing or you living your life, it will have trouble staying on unless you use the Dermablend system or maybe Kat Von D's heavy duty concealer.

I know someone who is having a punch biopsy scar revised by a plastic surgeon because it's on her face and she can't ignore it and she finds it very upsetting. Scar revision is something that plastic surgeons do frequently. I'd see a plastic surgeon instead of a dermatologist for this.

If you're not ready for a surgical revision, the suggestion to try the silicone scar minimizing sheets or other OTC scar minimizing products is a good one.
posted by quince at 11:07 AM on December 18, 2018 [3 favorites]

After I had a mole removed from my face, the dermatologist recommended Kelo-cote over Mederma to minimize scarring.
posted by mogget at 11:40 AM on December 18, 2018 [1 favorite]

Best answer: Have you kept it out of the sun completely? The sun will make scars a lot worse. It looks like a keloid though...do you scar like this normally?

I had a basal cell carcinoma removed from my nose and closed by a plastic surgeon. I used kelo-Cote every day and massaged the scar twice a day. Now you can barely see it.

This dermo either didn’t close the wound well, your body tends to just do this, or you didn’t take proper post care of it.

I’ve had small scratches on my hand turn into annoying scars bc I didn’t tend to them and also I was out in the sun surfing all the time.

I’d recommend going back to a dermo or consulting with a plastic surgeon on scar reduction if you have the money.

Otherwise your best bet is scar reduction creams, keeping it totally out of the sun, and massaging it twice a day to break up scar tissue
posted by christiehawk at 11:45 AM on December 18, 2018

Best answer: I agree it looks either like a keloid or just general not -great healing. I had that happen on a mole removal on my shoulder where the stitches were removed too early and the skin pulled creating a raised red and pink scar the size of a quarter. On its own it did EVENTUALLY go more flat and white but much longer than 1 or 2 years. If it feels more solid after you kit it then I also have a scar like that on my knee. They told me it can happen sometimes.

See a dermatologist again and get an opinion on treatment of it’s a keloid or treatment to reduce the appearance otherwise. They may be able to totally resect it.
posted by Crystalinne at 12:05 PM on December 18, 2018

Best answer: I used to have a weird thing on my leg that scarred all fucked up. Not sure if it was an old injury that healed bad or some kind of crone growth or what. It felt mostly of scar tissue and was pink and stuck out from my leg in a way that said to razors "come at me bro." I'm certain no one except me ever gave more than a passing glance to it, but it gave me cause for annoyance pretty often.

So I got it removed over the summer by a cosmetic dermatologist who had excellent reviews (and was on my insurance). Punch biopsy since wtf was it who knows, a couple stitches to close. Now it's very obviously still scar tissue, and it's wider, but it's totally flat to my leg and just doesn't bother me anymore.

Every different body heals differently, but for me I'm glad I did it and in just a few months it's so unnoticeable to me it's like it was never there. (I also got the World's Most Comically Tiny wart removed from my hand and it's totally gone as well, hurrah!) If you're in the Chicago area memail me and I'll give you my doc's info.

Anyway, tl;dr, scar revision is totally a thing.
posted by phunniemee at 12:10 PM on December 18, 2018 [2 favorites]

Mederma really does work. But it takes awhile and you have to apply it several times a day. I had a cut on my thumb that was really nasty and I probably should have had it stitched but I didn't and it healed with a red lump. I put Mederma on it, like, four times a day for several months and now you can't even see it. I just looked at my hands to see which thumb it was and I can't tell.
posted by Aquifer at 12:19 PM on December 18, 2018

Best answer: I had a horrible scar from a mole removal on my chest and my (new!) dermatologist recommended steroid injections, which she performed right then and there. I only needed one to visibly improve both the color and the texture of the scar dramatically. It takes a couple months to work and they’ll do further injections if indicated.

I still have a scar, but it’s not red and raised any longer! The scar was 4 years old already and not getting any better on its own.
posted by lydhre at 12:39 PM on December 18, 2018

I think if it’s still pink/red and not brown then you have lots of options for creams etc! Put a bandaid over it whenever you’re in the sun!
posted by catspajammies at 12:57 PM on December 18, 2018

Best answer: I had a huge embarrassing keloid for years. One day, I got the courage to go to a dermatologist, got an injection, and it went away completely, so if it is that, there may be hope.
posted by 4ster at 3:27 PM on December 18, 2018 [1 favorite]

The last time I went to a dermatologist they offered to freeze and remove a mole on my face. I wouldn't be surprised if they could do something similar with your scar. I wasn't interested, but the doctor repeatedly told me it would be painless and just take a couple minutes. This was ten years ago.
posted by xammerboy at 11:08 PM on December 18, 2018