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Repairing Track Marks
Lynn






Posted: June 7, 2004, 5:03 PM
I'm six months clean and doing well, but the track marks on my arms are really bothering me. I can't wear short sleeves and they're a reminder of a terrible time in my life. I've been putting vitamin e on every day, but is there a way to make them go away more quickly?
GUEST






Posted: June 7, 2004, 5:09 PM
can't wear short sleeves and they're a reminder of a terrible time in my life.


THOSE WHO FAIL TO REMEMBER ARE DOOMED TO REPEAT....

Kyle






Posted: June 7, 2004, 6:09 PM
Hey Lynn,

I feel for you. I too like many others on this board have some bad scars. Sometimes I look at it like they are a reminder of a big mistake I made. We all carry scars, both internally as well as on the outside. Vitimain E is very good but will noy get rid of them for good. Sometimes I think god, when I'm 40, 50 etc I will still have these scars on my arms to remind me of a time in my life I wish I never had.

There is a oil based product that you can buy from the pharmacy call "Bio Oil'. I don't know if it is available in your area. I have been putting it in for a while (when I remember) and it does help to fade the scars a bit. If your scars are still relatively new the easier they are to treat as well. There are these patches you can buy over the net called "Rejuveness" or something like that (my spelling may be off). They are expensive though. If you do a google search you should find the site.

Then there is always the last resort. You can use make-up to cover them. Use a good concealer (but it will really have to match your skin tone otherwise it can make them look worse). I used to use my ex-girlfriends to cover them sometimes (sad I know). 'Sheer cover' is a makeup that my ex-girlfriend uses and it is great for cover ups etc. Yes believe it or not us guys are a bit more savy these days about make up and s***.

Hope this has been some help.

Kyle.

P.S. Just remember you are clean now. Sure you have scars that are going to remind you but they are not you now. Power to you for getting clean.

White scars can not be repaired, believe me I have searched. Unless someone out there has found a new treatment. I would love to hear about it.

David






Posted: June 7, 2004, 6:23 PM
Guest; out of sight, out of mind. We can go on all day with these trivial sayings that are supposed to help an addict in some way, but in the end, it is the individual who knows best whether they want to remember all aspects of their drug use or not. I am not an addict, just been around it way too much. Some seem to want that reminder as you do, some want to forget it ever happened.
Lynn, congrats on staying clean. You should know now that you never have to use again in your life. There is so much more to life than being chained like a dog to that drug. As far as track marks; they are similar in nature to a tattoo and can be removed with lasers. Often, there is soot left from burning the needle trying to clear it and when it penetrates the skin, some of the soot remains under the skin. Lasers can burn most or all of that away. As far as how effectively, that is better determined by having someone who does the procedure look at your marks and determine that. I’m sure it’s not cheap, but if it helps you move further away from H mentally, it would be well worth the cost. Good luck Lynn.
denise






Posted: June 8, 2004, 9:46 PM
Lynn:
Congratulations on your clean time! I too have scars only mine are on my neck, arms, feet etc. You'd really be surprised that other people don't really notice them. Not when we're clean. They may see them but usually ignore them because we don't look or act like a junkie anymore. I don't know if anything will really make them go away completely but..i have used ambi cream (a fading cream) on them and they don't show up as much. Just stay clean and strong and enjoy life today. Denise
toni






Posted: June 8, 2004, 11:11 PM
hi lynn, i know what you mean. sometimes i'll be in the shower or something and look at my arms and it just brings everything back. when my arms are showing in the summer, my friends and family just ignore my track marks, and other people who don't know - well, as someone said, i no longer look or act like a drug addict, so either no one notices or they don't make the connection. maybe i've just had a hell of a lot of blood tests!
i also remember back to before i'd ever touched heroin and realise that i never paid any attention to anyones arms. i wouldn't have even recognised a track mark. it's really something only ex-users (or people who've been around IV drug users) who notice.
anyway, there is a product i've seen advertised which is supposed to help scars fade. now, i cannot for the life of me remember the name, but there are creams/ointments available to help scars and bruises fade. ask at a chemist - you don't need to say what it's for, use the old 'my friend has a bad scar from childhood accident' or something like that.
i live in australia, so don't know how relevant this is. otherwise, get some vitamin e capsules, squish them open and put the contents on you scar. do this as often as you want - it won't make the sar disappear but it can make it less obvious.
hope some of this has been helpful!
cheers, toni :-)
bryan






Posted: April 29, 2015, 3:50 PM
Congrats lynn,

I'm on the same boat. Just picked up my 60 day chip today and I have really gnarly scars from using. I am in a profession where attraction is keen. I've been covering up my arms with long sleeve dress shirts but the fact that I cannot be comfortable in my own skin is demoralizing. I have been looking into laser skin removal. Vit E and any type of oil based product does nothing for my tracks. It's like I literally tattooed my skin black plus the scars of abscesses don't help. I might be clean and sober today but I still have to work on these character defects such as insecurities and rejection. It's easier said than done but just for today I'll focus on my attitude towards life and be grateful I found my way back into the program.

have a good day everyone.
MO`






Posted: November 25, 2015, 1:32 AM
my bro tattoed over his looks sweet!!



Posts: 1
Joined: March 4, 2016


Posted: March 4, 2016, 3:39 PM

Just wanted to clear up the misconception about using Vitamin E for removing scar tissue. To quote a study:


The effects of topical vitamin E on the cosmetic appearance of scars.

CONCLUSIONS:
This study shows that there is no benefit to the cosmetic outcome of scars by applying vitamin E after skin surgery and that the application of topical vitamin E may actually be detrimental to the cosmetic appearance of a scar. In 90% of the cases in this study, topical vitamin E either had no effect on, or actually worsened, the cosmetic appearance of scars. Of the patients studied, 33% developed a contact dermatitis to the vitamin E. Therefore we conclude that use of topical vitamin E on surgical wounds should be discouraged.



Instead use products that contain silicon gel. Here the conclusion of one such study.


The Efficacy of Silicone Gel for the Treatment of Hypertrophic Scars and Keloids

CONCLUSIONS
Topical silicon gel is safe and effective treatment for hypertrophic and keloidal scars. It is easy to apply and cosmetically acceptable.



Hope this gives a bit more insight into what actually helps when it comes to removal of scar tissue.

This post has been edited by GaryBryant on March 4, 2016, 3:42 PM



Posts: 37
Joined: May 1, 2016


Posted: May 2, 2016, 2:36 AM
I know this is an old post, but I have an answer. Liquid/Gel vitamin E. It works fast. It took me only 10 days of vitamin E to get RID of the scars. Peace.


Posts: 1
Joined: January 24, 2017


Posted: January 24, 2017, 2:36 PM
I had knee surgery and have a nasty scar that I have been using dermalmd scar serum on. I am mostly giving the rating on what it seems to have done so far since I really have not been using this very long. I have met many people in person who swear dermalmd is absolutely amazing.
karelynn






Posted: August 9, 2017, 12:06 AM
Well done Lynn for getting clean. I too suffer from the 'track mark' 'affliction', that's how I found your entry. I kept reading hoping for some helpful advice and read "THOSE WHO FAIL TO REMEMBER ARE DOOMED TO REPEAT....", I must say I didn't know how to feel about the statement, as it appears to be sound advice at first glance, but then I realised how totally inappropriate, and unhelpful it is in this context. Is 'Guest' saying, we should wear the scars with pride, or as the scars force us to remember, we would relapse if they weren't there. I don't think anyone who has fought the 'monkey' needs reminding.
I'm sure 'Guest' meant well, but one should use 'wise quotes' in a mindful and relevant manner.
Lynn, hope you got the scar removal remedy you were seeking...Cheers
Relapse Gary






Posted: October 26, 2018, 1:44 AM
Congrats on getting clean. I to have been clean for 5 months, 6 days, 4 hours and 32 min. But who's counting. Lol. I have track marks from my arms to my feet. I've been getting tattoos with the money I use to spend on it. That works for me. My dumbass has replapsed a couple times because of pain and work. I'm going to school at night to better my career so im not "killing" myself at work. I won't do it more then 2-3 days before I stop for at least a week. I miss a lot of work because of it. I hope you find something that works for you. 😀
M Anne






Posted: November 18, 2018, 7:17 PM
<b>Silicone</b> is the new best treatment for scars. You can get sheets of gel silicone called cica care they are super expensive around $100 but you can reuse the strips that you cut to size and cover scar with for several hours daily. Or you can get gel creams that you cover the scar with and it's meant to help. In my experience the sheets are amazing but like anything they won't 100% get rid of any scar they do help a lot though.
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