what brand of silicone did you use?

[Berserk]

I'm wondering about people's reluctance with the injections? It might feel daunting at first to get an injection in the chest with that size of a needle, but it takes only a few minutes. My surgeon gave me the injections about 8 months after my surgery. My scars weren't horrible but certainly helped a lot. Started seeing them flatten in literally a matter of minutes and continue to change/lighten/flatten over a course of a few hours. Certainly saves a lot of time (and money if your surgeon does it free of charge).

[Bimmer Guy]

I'm wondering about people's reluctance with the injections? It might feel daunting at first to get an injection in the chest with that size of a needle, but it takes only a few minutes. My surgeon gave me the injections about 8 months after my surgery. My scars weren't horrible but certainly helped a lot. Started seeing them flatten in literally a matter of minutes and continue to change/lighten/flatten over a course of a few hours. Certainly saves a lot of time (and money if your surgeon does it free of charge).

There is a risk that the scar will flatten too much...you will have a permanent indentation in your skin.  I would rather wait than take that risk.  They will eventually get as flat as any other scar.

I saw Dr. Rumer at a trans conference and she was kind enough to check out my hypertrophic scars.  She too said wait a year.  I have never heard of injections if the person didn't have hypertrophic scaring.  You didn't mention if you did?

Who was your surgeon?

[Bimmer Guy]

Ok, so I found information on Haelan tape and Cordran tape which have fludroxycortide.  Looks like mainly used in the UK.  Interesting.  I may check into this.

[Berserk]

There is a risk that the scar will flatten too much...you will have a permanent indentation in your skin.  I would rather wait than take that risk.  They will eventually get as flat as any other scar.

I saw Dr. Rumer at a trans conference and she was kind enough to check out my hypertrophic scars.  She too said wait a year.  I have never heard of injections if the person didn't have hypertrophic scaring.  You didn't mention if you did?

Who was your surgeon?

Yes I did have them. He gave me several injections along the scar tissue and never had any problems with any kind of indentations forming. Oh and to answer about the surgeon, it was Dr. McLean here in Canada. Nothing but excellent experience with him.

[FTMDiaries]

FTM Diaries!  I have hypertrophic scars.  Please tell me about this steroid tape.  I have never heard of this!  I have decided against cortisone injections at this time per Garramone's advice.  He said at the one year mark I can reconsider.  Most likely I will decline.  I would consider the steroid (cortisone I assume?), tape, however.

Yup, I'm using Haelan tape. It says on the box that it's made by 3M in the USA, so it may be available elsewhere. Now, to my parents' eternal dismay I am not, in fact, a doctor - so I should caution anyone reading this that this was prescribed for me specifically after my doctor assessed my particular scars. Yours may differ, so please do check with your doctor.

I may well be going back to Kelocote once the steroids have helped with the soreness of my scars.

As an aside, FTM Diaries, who was your surgeon?  I don't remember if you posted in the Top Surgery Recovery thread?

TBH, the top surgery recovery thread tends to focus on American surgeons and their practices, so I've found it of limited use. We do things differently in the UK (no stitches or drains, for example) so I've been sticking to local advice. My surgeon was Andrew Yelland.

[Bimmer Guy]

Hi, FTMDiaries,

Thanks for the information.  I only asked about the Top Surgery thread not because I thought it could be of use to you, just because I was hoping you had written about your own experience/recovery there for my own learning.  I am actually especially interested in hearing about surgeries outside the U.S. as there are suggestions/approaches to recovery that I am not seeing here in the U.S. (the microspore tape that I first learned about from Kreuzfidel, and now the tape from you), that I think is very helpful.  I am also just crazy interested in hearing top surgery stories/pictures.

From what I have seen, Yelland does really great work.

The tape has to be prescribed here, I see.  Maybe I will call Garramone and see if he could call in a prescription for me.  I hate to bother him, but I would prefer to not go to my PCP (GP).  Also, since I actually had a consultation with him about scar revision and he didn't mention it, I would like his opinion.  Maybe it just isn't typically used here in the U.S.  A cursory google search to order the tape brought up only European sites.

Thanks for the information and I am glad to here that it is taking away some of the pain.  I am lucky in that the scars are not painful for me, just unattractive and itchy.

[Bimmer Guy]

Yes I did have them. He gave me several injections along the scar tissue and never had any problems with any kind of indentations forming. Oh and to answer about the surgeon, it was Dr. McLean here in Canada. Nothing but excellent experience with him.

Hi, Berserk.  I know that the shots are done all the time with success, I was just explaining my hesitation.  If Garramone recommended it for me right now and I lived near him, I would do it.  I also don't know who to trust in my area.  Typically people go to dermatologists for these shots and not a plastic surgeon.  That is cool you could go right to your surgeon.  I would trust that more.  Anyway, he said if I was in pain from them and couldn't wait a year, to go ahead and do it.  Otherwise, he suggests waiting for the one year mark.  Thanks for telling me about your experience.