Bumpy, ropey incisions?

[Cheryl Ann 2]

With only two steristrips remaining, I've notice that while outwardly my incisions look fairly smooth, when I feel them it's a different story. The tiniest ones feel as if there is a tiny bead beneath them, while the larger ones feel bumpy/ropey beneath the skin. My port incision and sternum incision are still covered with steristrips, but I can feel some bumpiness through them.

Is this a normal part of healing? I tend to heal very quickly and evenly, but then again, these are not exactly paper-cuts, lol!

[Ang1982 4]

With only two steristrips remaining, I've notice that while outwardly my incisions look fairly smooth, when I feel them it's a different story. The tiniest ones feel as if there is a tiny bead beneath them, while the larger ones feel bumpy/ropey beneath the skin. My port incision and sternum incision are still covered with steristrips, but I can feel some bumpiness through them.

Is this a normal part of healing? I tend to heal very quickly and evenly, but then again, these are not exactly paper-cuts, lol!

Cheryl Ann, I think that is probably normal (but I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on the internet :confused:). I am almost 3 months post op and my scars are still a bit bumpy/ropey feeling. If you are concerned about this once your steri strips are off and they are definitely healed up (ie: no open spots to them) if you pick up from a health store Arnica Montana cream and rub it on them daily, being sure to really rub it in - it will make a world of difference in how your scar appears in the long run. The cream doesn't smell oh so pretty but it's worth it.

[Kat817 19]

Mine have smoothed out over the 2 years, and faded in color. They too were bumpy and lumpy!!! And bright reddish purple in color. Now I can easily locate my port incision---as I have a tendency to keloid scar, and it did some----but the others have faded to where I have to look for them.....

Ask your Dr. when you go for your follow up, but I betcha he says they will improve with time!!

Welcome to bandland!! WoooHooo!!

Kat

[dancinglamb 0]

Hey Girlie-

What you are feeling are the stitches your surgeon used to close the superficial fascia layer of your abdomen. No worries. They will eventually absorb and dissolve. They're likely combined with adhesions (scar tissue).

If you no longer have scabs on the incision sites, you can massage the sites with some Vitamin E (just prick some capsules) in a circular motion, then side to side, and finally, in a kind of deep back and forth motion to loosen up the tissue. (Just don't go fast. The idea is to loosen the underlying scar tissue, not to create friction.) Eventually, it should go back to normal. It might feel a little sore in the beginning to massage them, but you will find yourself doing it more and more often, which is actually beneficial.

HTH

-m