Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Does anyone have suggestions for silicone strips? Preferably something that does not cost an arm and a leg. And where did you get them?

scar away from walmart

Scar Away brand (but yes, more costly).  I hear the Target ones don't stay on.

Amazon has scar away strips on prime for c sections are in the twenty dollar range. I think they have 5 per pack. 1.5"x7" is the size.

How do you guys like scar away? Do you feel it worked for you?

Quote from: FTMKyle on August 05, 2014, 01:23:30 AM
How do you guys like scar away? Do you feel it worked for you?

If you like using strips, I think most would tell you that is the best choice.  The serum is good too, but I am not sure if they are discontinuing that or not.  I use Kelo-cote because my scars have turned hypertrophic.  I know it is the best choice for me due to this type of scarring, but it would not be my first choice if I didn't have hypertrophic scars.  It is thick, heavy, and never dries (however, it is summer where I live).  I believe that Scar Away has now purchased Kelo-Cote (or they have some sort of agreement or something).

I used the Scar Away strips and serum for the first 6 months 24 hours a day.  I can see how the strips would have a hard time staying on in the summer, that is one reason why I changed to the serum (plus, I just wanted a change).  You can tape the strips down though if you have a problem with them staying. 

You can find 1.5" x7" stips on Amazon.  Type that length in specifically or mainly the 3 inch and C-section ones will come up.

Yes, it costs money, but after paying all that money for your chest, I find it worth the investment.

BTW,  Scaraway buying Kelocote (or vice versa) very odd. This is a silicone gel. I got a tube (or more). Anyway, very odd. They used to have an applicator which was more liquidy. Now they have a tube. It is VERY thick and comes in a microscopic sized tube. One thing though, I have cut down to once a day. It's very thick and stays on you all day. No reason to apply twice a day. So it may come out even. The applicator was not lasting all month, so I was using silicone lube (yes that sort of lube) the rest of the month. I'll let folks know how it compares in terms of lasting.

--Jay

the strips are great to flatten scars. I have a spot on one side that likes to rise and get hard but after sleeping in a strip it flattens and gets squishy.

Quote from: aleon515 on August 05, 2014, 01:33:53 PM
BTW,  Scaraway buying Kelocote (or vice versa) very odd. This is a silicone gel. I got a tube (or more). Anyway, very odd. They used to have an applicator which was more liquidy. Now they have a tube. It is VERY thick and comes in a microscopic sized tube. One thing though, I have cut down to once a day. It's very thick and stays on you all day. No reason to apply twice a day. So it may come out even. The applicator was not lasting all month, so I was using silicone lube (yes that sort of lube) the rest of the month. I'll let folks know how it compares in terms of lasting.

--Jay

Ok, I see now (just looked some stuff up).  Scar Away is utilizing Kelo Cote and is making it into a gel (which I bet is close or same as the regular Kelo Cote gel from your description...just packaged as "Scar Away"), instead of the making the serum.  Just so you know, you can still get the serum online. 

I buy the Kelo Cote in the 60g tubes, as I know that I am in for the long haul with these hypertrophic scars.  I like to keep the Scar Away serum on hand for those days I don't want to deal with the gel mess and have to run right out the door.  I think I will buy 5 or so Scar Away serums in case they are discontinued.

Jay, do you like the gel better than the serum?  I don't, I just don't see myself as having a choice.  I hate the gel, but I put it on twice a day (I agree I could get away with once a day, but again, remember I am dealing with heavy scars here).  It feels like it never really dries.

<--- Still lubing his chest 24 hours a day, 7 days a week since 10/10/13 (and sick of it!!!)

Quote from: Brett on August 05, 2014, 07:48:31 PM
scars.  I like to keep the Scar Away serum on hand for those days I don't want to deal with the gel mess and have to run right out the door.  I think I will buy 5 or so Scar Away serums in case they are discontinued.

Jay, do you like the gel better than the serum?  I don't, I just don't see myself as having a choice.  I hate the gel, but I put it on twice a day (I agree I could get away with once a day, but again, remember I am dealing with heavy scars here).  It feels like it never really dries.

Yeah I know you have the bad scarring. :( I only plan to use it for the rest of the year (I mean one year after surgery). I have enough to last me, because when I've taken advantage of several sales (like 1 for full price and one for half price), and buying it cheaper (at drugstore.com).

The jury is out on the gel vs. serum imo. To me it dries (but I do live in the desert). But I can feel it all day, it's not wet or sticky exactly. It depends on if the damn tube lasts me roughly the same amt. of time. If it does I'm okay with it. But it is more expensive, if I were to buy it for full-price. Thanks re: the online but I'm not going to (hopefully) need this info.

I have no idea re: Kelocote, but I would also guess it is the same (or close). I think it comes in the smallish tubes.

(They give ideas for drying. For instance, if it's hot, put the tube in the refrigerator and if it's cold use a hair dryer, because changes in temperature help for it drying. I bet this works with the serum as well. I don't really like meds in the refrigerator because i forget about them. So I've just put the hair dryer on it. I think this helps. 

--Jay

I used Scar Away strips that I got on either ebay or amazon. I feel like they help, but they fall off easily and I have to use bandages or a light binder to keep them on, so I wasn't consistent with them for long.

I did also try that onion-based gel goo that I forget what it's called, but I didn't feel like it helped at all.

Quote from: aleon515 on August 05, 2014, 10:28:53 PM

Yeah I know you have the bad scarring. :( I only plan to use it for the rest of the year (I mean one year after surgery). I have enough to last me, because when I've taken advantage of several sales (like 1 for full price and one for half price), and buying it cheaper (at drugstore.com).

The jury is out on the gel vs. serum imo. To me it dries (but I do live in the desert). But I can feel it all day, it's not wet or sticky exactly. It depends on if the damn tube lasts me roughly the same amt. of time. If it does I'm okay with it. But it is more expensive, if I were to buy it for full-price. Thanks re: the online but I'm not going to (hopefully) need this info.

I have no idea re: Kelocote, but I would also guess it is the same (or close). I think it comes in the smallish tubes.

(They give ideas for drying. For instance, if it's hot, put the tube in the refrigerator and if it's cold use a hair dryer, because changes in temperature help for it drying. I bet this works with the serum as well. I don't really like meds in the refrigerator because i forget about them. So I've just put the hair dryer on it. I think this helps. 

--Jay

Jay, I am surprised you are still using it, but I guess they say a year is good.  Good discipline, man! The two small areas that aren't hypertrophic on me (about .5 inch, .3 inch), the scars are completely white...have been for a couple of months.  Beautiful, thin, white scars <sigh>.

Anyway, yes, I tried the hair dryer.  Mine has a cold button, so since it is summer here, I have been using that.  How long does it take to dry for you before you put your shirt on?  Do you make it really, really thin?  They say if it doesn't dry you are putting on too much, but I really don't think I am doing this.  It is just tacky under my shirt for a number of hours.   

I found the big Kelo cote (60g) on Amazon.  Yes, didn't see any large Scar Away tubes.  Kelo cote specifically marketed towards hypertrophics/keloids, but they are both the same I think, just 100% silicone...kelo cote just thicker.

I don't know if I still need to use it. I do have good self-discipline but also I tend to be a little OCD. :)
I can afford it and ....

Maybe they go together. I put it on VERY thin and light. Just enough to rub in. It's like glue-- more glue is not better glue, it just makes a mess. Less is more. You *really* don't need a lot, even with thick scars. The stuff is very thick and stays on very very well.

I am in no hurry. I usually just stand around with my lovely bare manly bare chest. :)
Since I am now putting it on once a day, I use after my shower which is at night (I know, weird huh?).

--Jay

Quote from: Brett on August 06, 2014, 06:47:54 AM
Jay, I am surprised you are still using it, but I guess they say a year is good.  Good discipline, man! The two small areas that aren't hypertrophic on me (about .5 inch, .3 inch), the scars are completely white...have been for a couple of months.  Beautiful, thin, white scars <sigh>.

Anyway, yes, I tried the hair dryer.  Mine has a cold button, so since it is summer here, I have been using that.  How long does it take to dry for you before you put your shirt on?  Do you make it really, really thin?  They say if it doesn't dry you are putting on too much, but I really don't think I am doing this.  It is just tacky under my shirt for a number of hours.   

I found the big Kelo cote (60g) on Amazon.  Yes, didn't see any large Scar Away tubes.  Kelo cote specifically marketed towards hypertrophics/keloids, but they are both the same I think, just 100% silicone...kelo cote just thicker.

Okay. I got the scar away sheets. I found them at Walgreens. I ended up going with the three inch ones thinking I could just cut them in half long ways (which works). The left scar is a bit longer than the right, and a little too long for the sheets, but luckily they are stretchy, so I made it work. I don't know how well it well hold up after a couple of reuses. Oh well. I have a positive outlook on how my scars will look in the end. I don't really scar badly. I ended up getting a really bad grease burn a few years ago. It was like three inches long and two inches wide. I had that scar for maybe two years, and one day I noticed it was just gone. Completely gone. I didn't use anything on it. I was kind of shaped like a baby chick hatching from an egg. I know I can't expect those kinds of results, but I am still optimistic. Thanks for the help guys. 

You can't expect a incision scar like this to disappear or even lighten significantly. It should look better and lighter in time (even without a lot of intervention). This is a very deep scar with stitching on the inside and under the skin and outside and hundreds of stitches.

--Jay

Quote from: FTMKyle on August 04, 2014, 01:50:29 PM
Does anyone have suggestions for silicone strips? Preferably something that does not cost an arm and a leg. And where did you get them?

The best thing might be to ask your surgeon if he'll do steroid injections. I've yet to see anything work so fast as the injections he gave me in my scar tissue. It flattened them out almost immediately and reduced a lot of the redness. Much more sure fire way to deal with scars than strips or scar cream.

Oh yeah. I know the scars won't disappear or lighten significantly. What I mean is I am optimistic that my scars will look good (or as good as they can get) when everything is 100 percent healed. As far as steroid injections, I think it is a little soon to tell if my scars will be bad enough to get those.

I used Kelocote exactly as per my surgeon's instructions... and I'm afraid to say it didn't do jack for me. I've developed painful hypertrophic scars on both sides that are very red and tender, despite having used Kelocote every day from the get-go.

My GP has just prescribed me some steroid tape to stick over the scars; this is the new preferred method to having steroid injections. I have to wear the tape for 12 hours at a time, so I put it on before bed and take it off the following morning. I've been using it for a week and so far it seems to be helping.

Quote from: FTMDiaries on August 08, 2014, 09:13:19 AM
I used Kelocote exactly as per my surgeon's instructions... and I'm afraid to say it didn't do jack for me. I've developed painful hypertrophic scars on both sides that are very red and tender, despite having used Kelocote every day from the get-go.

My GP has just prescribed me some steroid tape to stick over the scars; this is the new preferred method to having steroid injections. I have to wear the tape for 12 hours at a time, so I put it on before bed and take it off the following morning. I've been using it for a week and so far it seems to be helping.

I doubt anything would work on painful hypertropic scarring. Not the fault of any product in not preventing this. I believe this is not normal scarring. Silicone works to lighten and decrease normal scarring. Sounds like you are doing the right thing for your situation.

--Jay

Jay, is right.  It doesn't matter what you use.  If you are prone to hypertrophic scaring or keloids, you will get them.

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.

I currently use Kelo Cote.  This and time is helping.  I expect 3 years before things will look relatively good.

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

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).

Quote from: Berserk on August 08, 2014, 07:51:54 PM
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?

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.

Quote from: Brett on August 08, 2014, 08:18:44 PM
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.

Quote from: Brett on August 08, 2014, 07:43:28 PM
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.

Quote from: Brett on August 08, 2014, 07:43:28 PM
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.

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.

Quote from: Berserk on August 08, 2014, 10:19:11 PM
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.