Lumpy scar.

[Tickertalker]

Happy New Year all. It's now 16 months since my surgery and my chest scar hasn't healed well. It's got a number of bumps which I think are located where my stitches were. For some reason, they seem to get larger when I'm lying down at night. I've given up all expectations that they will dissolve naturally. Does anyone know if it's possible to remove these lumps surgically? I realise this is something cosmetic that probably won't be available on the NHS, but I'm willing to go private if it's not too costly as they are very unsightly.

[Hidden]

Are you sure it's not the wire that you can feel?

[Tickertalker in reply to Hidden]

Yup, I'm certain it isn't the wire.

[080311]

I am over 5 years on from my surgery, scar is still visible in some parts. One side of my chest is a little higher then the other. Think it’s where they joined me together and it wasn’t quite right. I tend to look at my scar and chest as my battle scar. It’s a battle I won and this is the proof that it really did happen. As heartpunk said could be the wires but my surgeon told me that after 18 months new bone will have grown over the wires and our sternum then would be stronger than his.

As for having the lumps removed surgically don’t really know.

Hope you can get some answers.

Best wishes Pauline.

[Tickertalker in reply to 080311]

I see my ten-inch scar as a battle trophy too, it's just the lumps that I'm uncomfortable with. They look like some kind of nasty boils outbreak.

[Hidden]

Dear Tickertalker

Well I have Keloid scars, so it means whatever cut I get , the scar will always become lumpy.

I’m afraid that is the way I was born and there is no getting over it.

But there are ways to soften the scars, from creams/ cover make up and oils to blank tattooing.

Yes I know it’s a bit odd but they use a tattoo gun over the scars and it breaks down the lumps etc.

Some things work for some and not for others, but your Dr can put you in touch with someone that can help, or what about your heart team ?

I have gone past caring what people think of my scars but can fully understand others wanting to change the look of them.

They are just a reminder to me of how fantastic it is to be here after going through all that the scars were formed by.

Take care.

[Tickertalker in reply to Hidden]

I think that, quite possibly, my lumps are also the result of too much collagen and are either keloid or hypertrophic. Or maybe seromas. I don't know the difference between any of these, they are just guesses from internet searches. Funny that you should mention a tattoo gun as I did consider adding a new ink work to my collection that would incorporate my scar. Probably not a good idea now that I'm on blood thinners for life.

[Hidden in reply to Tickertalker]

Your Dr will be able to answer the scar type or put you on to a dermatologist that could.

I was lucky { believe me that word and me don’t often mix } that I had a large tattoo across my chest, even laughed with the surgeon about matching it up etc.

So my new scar { heart one } is now apart of the tattoo, add to that the re growth of the { now grey } bush of chest hairs and it has all but disappeared .

A mate of mine is a tattooist and he says there is no problem tattooing over scars and that the blood thinners should be no problem as long as you have your new tat done in shorter sessions.

Take care with it all

[Alison_L in reply to Hidden]

Hi Blue. I've been told by a couple of local tattooists that, because of my heart disease and meds, they can't touch me without a letter from my doctor (GP or cardiologist) to say it's safe. And, of course, no doc is going to give me such a letter. Catch 22.

[Hidden in reply to Alison_L]

Ooooh I’m so sorry to hear that but can’t really understand why can you? And I’m sure you could get a letter if you need to finish off your ink.Pacemakers etc I could understand, maybe it’s like my Drs who still turns her nose up at tattoos even though my tattooists place looks a lot cleaner then her surgery does !

[Alison_L in reply to Hidden]

I've actually got an ICD, but that's not the sticking point, it's the words "Heart Disease". I think the bottom line is insurance and litigation. Everyone seems to be so keen to sue everyone else these days, that insurance companies are forcing the hand of any artist or doctor that might see the benefit of a tat. I have an old ink on my back, and I wanted to cover my ICD scar and link the 2 over my shoulder, but nothing doing. And I agree about the relative cleanliness!

[Hidden]

Hi,

It might or might not be an option for you .

Theres The Red Cross’s skin camouflage service ? In my experience , they’re very good in finding the right colours & giving skills in applying it, it can help in making the lumps and bumps from scars look invisible . It was a few years ago I used them but at that point they only asked for a donation of whatever could be afforded .

There’s changing faces too (it isn’t just facial scars they offer support with & I don’t have expert with them but they look like a good org ).

Scars can be difficult to live with at times … I’m not sure if there’d be options about plastic surgery , but I hope you find something that makes your scars less of a problem for you.

[Tickertalker in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for the suggestion, but makeup really isn't my thing. Obviously, my scar is hidden most of the time and is only revealed when I meet a new girlfriend. I think that colouring that rubbed away in the night would take a little explaining.

[Hidden in reply to Tickertalker]

Ha, thats alright , hope you find something that makes your scar easier to live with🙂

[Hidden]

Hello

I am just over 4 months surgery

I have got one lump and still have on my scar and like you it is worse in a Morning when I get up and then goes down slightly during the day

My Doctor has looked at it several times and has no concerns and they have told me in time it will improve and go altogether

Have you asked your Doctor , Rehab Nurse what they think ?

Could be worth asking and having it checked out

I do hope you get it resolved x

[Tickertalker in reply to Hidden]

Yes, it's strange how the lumps all grow quite large at night and deflate during the day. I have considered asking my doctor but, with the NHS under so much pressure at the moment, I kind of feel that I shouldn't trouble my GP with personal vanity stuff right now. The lumps don't hurt or itch, I just don't like them. It does sound as if our inflatable lumps are similar, so I'll piggyback on your doctor's advice and wait for time to do the healing.

[Hidden in reply to Tickertalker]

It is something that I never have posted about and when I saw your post I did think someone talking about exactly what I have so I had to reply :-)I understand what you mean about bothering the Doctors at the moment but I am sure there will be an opportunity when you have to see them over something else and you could ask then

I am female and mine has to be higher up on my scar and not lower which is my luck for that to happen but the less I take notice of it the more it is seeming not to bother me as much

Give them time and hopefully they will resolve and as so many have told me and I think it is finally going in this brain of mine these scars show we are the lucky one's and survivors and should wear them with pride x

[Heather1957]

I have to admit I only felt the wire, no lumps or bumps. in healing terms 16 months isn't really very long, I know I had numbness in my fingers on my left hand for a couple of years. I am about 4 1/2 years post surgery and while my scar is still obvious I don't think it is too bad.

Why don't you see about getting a nurse practitioner to have a look or one of the cardiac nurses, they will have tonnes of experience in these things.

This was a post I made about 2 years after surgery and it has continued to get better.

healthunlocked.com/bhf/post...

[Monarch17]

Hi had a triple bypass last December scar on chest horrible like a raised worm had steroid injections put in the scar and have noticed a big difference still very pink but has really flattened out.

[Tez666]

I have exactly the same, although mines 7 months now, but I try not to think of it, the body does such a good repair job, and we bloomin lucky to be here, lumps are nothing compared to ashes ❤

[Tickertalker in reply to Tez666]

Thanks Tez, Lumps trump ashes? Maybe. I went into hospital feeling as fit as a fiddle and, if I could have my time again, would defiantly chance my luck with the cards that nature dealt me. The surgeon warned me that there was a 2% chance of a stroke and a 2% chance of death while I was under the knife. |Now, I wouldn't want to be a burden to anyone and had seen what a stroke had done to my uncle. I told him to pull the plug if that happened. He didn't and I did. Waking to discover that I was paralysed in half my body was a terrible shock and ashes were never far from my mind. I was told there was a one in ten chance that I would walk again and, thankfully, this time I beat the odds. I guess the fact that I am now worried about disfiguring lumps shows that I'm finally on the mend.

[Tez666 in reply to Tickertalker]

It is scary, I almost passed to other side also, leaking heart, water in lung and infection, 2 days after op, thankfully blood transfusion and more pills ect and I came back....icu marvelous...... but I did see my life flash .... glad your on mend xx

[Tickertalker in reply to Tez666]

Well, I'm glad you made it Tez. My time in hospital was a two-month horror show. I could write a book. At one point, after being rushed across London with suspected blood clots, I was left in a Covid isolation room for three days with no visitors allowed. So this is how it ends, I told myself. Alone and scared. To be honest, I feel uncomfortable sharing my story online. I'm aware that people come on here to look for reassurance pre-op and the last thing they want to read is the bad stuff. Heart surgery is frightening at the best of times, but fortunately, for the vast majority of people, complication free.

[uzininemm]

My answer might seem to start off at a tangent but please bear with me as considering you have said 'revealed when I meet a new girlfriend' it could be very relevant. I have suffered from psoriasis since I was 10 and for 20 years which lead to bullying at school and then made me very self conscious thereafter which seriously affected a lot of things including potential relationships. After 20 years I had a light bulb moment and said to myself you are part of me but you won't beat me anymore and that really did change my life and I felt liberated. The lesson I learned the hard way was how I look doesn't make one bit of difference to those who stuck with me through thick and fine and in regards to potential partners the same applies. If person can't accept you for how you look, then frankly they are not worth it, its time to move on and its their loss.

[Tickertalker in reply to uzininemm]

Nicely put. As someone once said to me, 'Those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind'.

[oldmovieguy]

Still badly scarred after four years and it sometimes gets a bit painful but I look on it as part of me now, went to Miami just before covid and within 5 minutes of being in the pool two other members of the ‘zip’ club made themselves known to me so look on it as an improvement in your social life.

[Nadeje]

Hi, my AVR was 18months ago. My scar was healing beautifully, so didn't pay much attention to it, there were other issues I had to deal with re: my body getting over the surgery, cocktail of drugs that made me nauseous, dizzy spells, blah, blah...and the rest of it. After around 3 weeks my scar started to change for worse...getting larger, red, itchy, sore...

I was unlucky to develop keloid.

I did see a nurse at my GP surgery and was given a leaflet and was prescribed silicon gel to apply (for duration of 3 months) on the scar in the hope of that stopping the keloid growing larger...I applied it for for 6 weeks, it was too much of a hassle, so gave up.

Only the top half of the scar is affected, the rest has healed and it's almost invisible.

I now have a keloid scar between my breasts the size of the snake around your neck on your photo.🤪

It looks like an alien creature, often it hurts, itches,but it seems to stop growing now to my great relief!👏

I thing to myself: I have had my life prolonged, my previous symptoms caused by the valve not functioning have vanished, I have survived the surgery, I live thanks to amazing, clever people that fixed my heart...

I have an unsightly scar...tough! It's a no brainer really...🤔

I can't advise you on a treatment( I was told that steroid injections could work, and surgery usually makes things worse with keloid regrowing..) ,you need to speak to a doctor.

As for your concern re; future girlfriends, I think that anyone who is so bothered by your scar you should send packing!

Good luck with finding a treatment and happiness with the right person!😊

[PV74]

HiMy cardiac rehab team referred me to the plastic surgery team who I guess must be experts in scars. They gave me some daily manipulations to do which has helped and my scar has almost fully flattened out. If it bothering you get a referral and have the experts take a look.

All the best

[Berniee]

Hi

[Kelling]

I am going to risk answering the main question first - when asleep on your back, the weight of your breast tissue will have the effect of drawing out the skin around the scar and make is feel different. After one answer you did not acknowledge that you knew the entry point to your heart is pulled back into line with steel wire. That very process will make the skin tissue and underlying tissue pucker up around the wire, causing highs and lows deep within the underlying tissue. As one would see with an external stitch, once the actual stitch has been taken out, the wound will flatten out. Since this is steel that stays in forever, the tissue around the metal will eventually grow around and over it - but after some time, the flattening process will have settled down and what you then have is what you will have for the rest of your life. Like another answer, I see mine as a right of progress and also look upon it as a visible warning of how lucky I was and how grateful I am for every day. After 30 months my scar is knobbly and uneven and where a donor vein was taken, is numb from the centre line to my left nipple. Under the skin of the cut feels like a deep gully where all the knobbly bits live. The site of the other harvest on my left leg has a normal scar however at the ankle it has always felt numb, a bit sore to the touch and redder that anywhere else. These are all just annoyances and all mark my progress with my second chance that continually whispers to me - "Don't mess it up" 😄

[Tickertalker in reply to Kelling]

Thanks for your considered reply. I did dismiss the suggestion that it might be the wires causing the problem as the top half of my scar has healed nicely. The lumps get progressively larger the lower down I go, the most pronounced being below my ribcage. I have a feeling that the damage was caused by the fact that I fell flat on my face three times while I was in hospital. My chest taking the brunt of the impact. (No, I wasn't drunk, I was trying to hop to the loo as one of my legs was paralysed during my operation.) Of course, I won't lose sleep over the lumps, but I was kind of hoping someone would know an easy way of removing them. I once had an unsightly lipoma on my forehead and that was removed in seconds. Vanity, I know, but we all want to look our best.

[Kelling in reply to Tickertalker]

Surely no one would be that picky if you decided to bare your chest before friends? LOL

[WoodyGlade54]

Hi I have had Keyloid scars for over eight years now both in the middle of my chest plus left lower arm where they extracted the vein for part of my bypass. I now consider this as part of me as we cant do much about it. I still go to the gym, my favourite part being in the sauna/jacuzzi baring all scars. It often causes discussion points for those brave enough to ask which I find quite amusing.

I would never see the scars as a negative as they have saved my life and I consider myself privileged to have them . Remember we are the lucky ones and are part of a unique club HCOBE

Heart Club Order of British Empire, be a proud member and spread the word, focus on loving you and things that will have a positive impact on your life and well being. Scars are not worth a worry!

Take care

Paul

[Berniee]

Hi Tickertalker speak to your surgeon and they can check an see what they can do for you I had my operation to replace my Aortic Valve an I had a cabb last October an the wire snapped 2 days after my op.

and had to go back to theatre for them to repair it again .

I was still in pain an had a C.T scan & Echo which show the wires have snapped again so had to go back to hospital for another Operation this December just gone.

I had such a bad time with it all.

My scar hasn't healed again properly an I got lumps as well.

I now got to wait an see the plastic surgeon an see what they can do for me .

I.m so fed up with it all

You need to phone your surgical team and explain to them how

your feeling

Sorry for the long message

Regards Bernie

[LaceyLady]

I use vitamin E oil on my wounds and Lavender oil on burns. I’ve got a recent hernia scar about 8-9cm healing very well, putting Vitamin E oil on it. I just buy some capsules from boots/Super Drug, make a tiny cut, whole capsule is too much, rub it in

[Auiron]

How to Know Your Surgical Cut Is Healing Right

webmd.com/first-aid/surgica...

Newer Treatments Can Make Scars Less Scary

webmd.com/skin-problems-and...

Treatment

-Scars

nhs.uk/conditions/scars/tre...

[AndyM69]

Hi there

Not sure if this will help. I had a couple of wound infections after my bypass in July 2020. As a result my chest wound had to be cut open twice in 2 places to be cleaned out and then was left to heal again. At one point I had a vacuum pump fitted to speed up the healing process however after the healing was complete internally I was left with a keloid scar at the bottom on my chest wound.

My GP said the NHS couldn’t help but they did suggest some things to try from a well known online site. I tried a silicon gel, but it didn’t seem to work so I then tried some silicone strips that were used to flatten scars and they were much more successful. You do need to be patient as you don’t get results overnight but the scar at that point is now as flat as the rest of the scar so I’m very pleased.

In general my chest wound does have a lot of lumps and bumps, there are some very hard bits that are there all the time, one side does feel higher than the other and there are places where the skin stretches over these and it’s uncomfortable. However I just think about the benefits of the op that I had.

The actual scar is quite faint now and often people don’t even notice it. I have a much more visible scar running the full length of my right leg which is where the vein was taken from.

I think as many have said on here, I’m not bothered by my scars and see them as a battle that has been won.

Hope this helps.

Andy

[MumaLines]

I think my bumps are bone and I can definitely feel one of the figure of 8 wires at the top of my chest plate. That one also pulls tight if I lay down or on getting up. I do have a lump right at the bottom of my main scar, just above the scars from wires.

It’s a scar hernia. Comes right out when I cough 😂

My thinking is they cut the chest plate open and when they put you back together new bone will grow over causing lumps.

After 5 years I’ve got use to mine and I don’t feel horrified looking at it anymore.

I look at my lumps & bumps to remind myself I am still alive xx

[Qualipop]

I had a breast biopsy around 50 years ago. The scar was huge and raised like train tracks for over 30 years until someone told me t o try Bio Oil. I rubbed it on daily for 6 months and the scar softened and is now completely flat. It's still red but no longer raised and lumpy. Whether it was the rubbing that helped or the oil, I will never know.

[Nks900]

Tickertalker, I would sincerely say, heed well all that has been written above! As a retired nurse (and a grandmother), I honestly feel all these "Hearties" replying to you know what they are talking about! You cannot beat Knowledge, Wisdom and Self-Acceptance.

My OHS (Valve, Bypasses & Ablations) was 2 years ago. I do know that the wires did their job well. The top two thirds of my sternum scar healed well but the bottom one third has keloid tissue. They itch and sometimes causes some pain. I am female so wearing bra is an issue, especially in hot weather. I absolutely do NOT want to treat, hide or camouflage my scars. Everyday it reminds me how lucky I am to have a second chance in life.

Do not waste time fixating. Do something if you really want to.....have a tattoo on your bicep proclaiming '2nd chance in Life!!' Since having my OHS, I have met kindred spirits where we each point to our scar in our décolletage, followed by a thumbs up!!!

The problem is not the scar but yours and that of others - boyfriend, girlfriend etc etc - in having the mental capacity to accept the presence of the scar; shrink arena here! Wear it proudly ❤️.

[Tessie28]

at nearly two years the worst part of my scar is between my boobs. I ignore it. the skin and nerves need time to heal.

[Mazatectribe]

I had my surgery 4 years ago and I ended up going back into hospital as wire was sticking up and I have large lumps still which are unsightly but told they are normal and will always be there. I see them as someone previously has said like a war wound and something I needed to have so I’m grateful for that. 😌

[Bobbymrg]

Hi I'm 3 years since surgery I have bumps In my sternum that if u run ur fingers over them u can feel them. My scar is visible sometimes reddish. My doc says its healed well. I havnt got anything to compare it too.

[lisburb]

Morning. I know what you mean by lumpy scars. I have various ones all over my body and I usually heal well, unfortunately I have 2 on my chest from my heart op, main one is fine but the 2nd just below, where they had to dive in to see why and where I was bleeding from ?? It is a nightmare. It itches, it hurts, its tender if its cold and I was told by my GP its something I will have to live with !! I mentioned it to my Consultant and he said, there's lots we can try. Moisturiser, now that does work, relieves the itching, which I think and he thinks is nerve damage. Gentle light massage on the scar, that helps too, but for me the best thing was when I lost the extra weight I had put on, so I can only assume it was pulling on the scar. Im not saying this will work for you, I needed to loose weight and it was a nice side benefit, sadly I have put it back on and hey ho its itching again and tender. Not easy to put up with when you want to wear nice lingerie. Ask your health care professionals and see what they say.