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Scar treatment on the NHS
Former Member
Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Can I get laser treatmenton the NHS?
Theproblem is that my scars are self inflicted and I don't know if they'll accept me. I know I can't afford treatment and I don't want to have these scars because if I had a bf and he saw them he'd ask where thy came from and then hate me when he found out.
I guess this should be on relationships as well as health, but I'm realy self conscious about them.
Theproblem is that my scars are self inflicted and I don't know if they'll accept me. I know I can't afford treatment and I don't want to have these scars because if I had a bf and he saw them he'd ask where thy came from and then hate me when he found out.
I guess this should be on relationships as well as health, but I'm realy self conscious about them.
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Good luck with it <IMG alt="image" alt="image" SRC="smile.gif" border="0">
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You really shouldnt worry about your future BF seeing the scars and hating you for it. You would have picked a total dick if he did that and youd be better off without him anyway.
Do you mind if I ask how big and how many scars you have?
However, if the scars are a lot shallower and perhaps not overly visible, then I'd recommend exfoliating daily with one of them body puffs that look like mesh, if you know what I mean? Then Moisturise after. This gets rid of dead skin cells, and I think it increases or improves circulation as well. This is what I do on all of my scars, especially the shallower cuts and some burns that aren't too harsh, and it near enough makes them disappear. On bigger or deeper scars, at tends to help them to flatten out a bit, and it does improve their apperance, but you can still see them.
Also, in Boots, you can buy this kit for about a tenner, and if you use it everyday for a few months, it reduces the colour and appearance of red and/or raised scars. I don't know if you can get these on the NHS.
And as for the boyfriend, none that I have had so far have been that bothered by mine, not that I've had a huge amount of boyfriends anyway.
Hope this helps mate, take care of yourself.
Hugs always, C xxx
[ 05-01-2002: Message edited by: charley ]
And if a bf does care, hes a shit and not someone you wanna be with anyhow.
However, you can get it done on the NHS but obviously there is a long wait because it's not given a high priority.
As for your BF, if he doesn't love you for what you are then is he really worth it? Those scars are as much a part of you as your eyes and he wouldn't expect you to change them, would he?
Laser treatment isn't actually that expensive, so it is worth checking out a private clinic if you find out that the taxpayer won't pay.
About the laser treatment - I am currently having laser treatment on the NHS for self inflicted injuries. I hurt myself badly for a number of years and have stopped it for over a year.
Firstly, the clinic will want to know if you have stopped harming yourself - they wont treat you otherwise. They may talk to you about other options such as surgery. The laser treatment is usually focused on a small area. They are only treating one of my scars that was particularly red. The treatment will reduce the redness of the scar and steriod injections can be used to reduce the bumpiness (i'm not having the injections)
It is definitely worth talking to your doctor about - he/she would refer you to the hospital if they thought you were ready for it.
It would be good to hear how you get on. Good luck and take care!
jellie xx
There are a lot of options though for removing scars. Mine are quite bad from a weird skin condition in which my body spontaneously makes scar tissue in the area above my chest to my collar bone. The first treatments I got were different creams and gels including Mederma (which you need a perscription for at least in the states). However none of these worked very well for me so I advanced onto the more extreme treatments.
Back home I do have the steroid injections and laser treatments about once every 6 weeks. It depends on how thick and red your scars are but the lasers will take out the redness and the steroids will make them flat. It does hurt like hell especially because the area my scars are in isn't very deep skin but it's also working well. Just be prepared that it isn't a miracle cure- it will take more than one trip to the doctor. Mine are particularly bad so shouldn't be used as the norm but I've been going for 3 years now and they're still quite visable but almost flat now (yipee!)
And everyone is right- the guys won't care. I'm still really self conscious about showing them to people but scars do not detract from natural beauty as much as they do in your own mind.