Coming out of lockdown with a new scar and feeling nervous

[Silvertree123]

I'm new here so this feels a bit scary!

Last autumn I had a bad bike accident, I went flying and the pavement took a lot of the skin from around my eye. I was sent to the burns unit and came home with two skin grafts on my face. They are healing well, but some days are really hard and it still shocks me a bit when I see my reflection. I think having to wear a mask out in public has actually been really helpful during my recovery, but Im feeling a bit anxious about going out now without one on. I also feel anxious about seeing people I haven't seen since before the accident..im sure this is pretty normal though!

Another thing which is getting me down is that I seem to have irritated the skin on my face from doing my scar massage, I think from washing my face before and after...I find scar massage tiring but I know it's helping, it's just really frustrating that the rest of my skin is so sensitive! Has anyone else had this issue?

[Hidden]

Hi Silvertree123 , welcome to the community. This is a very friendly space so I hope you'll find lots of support here. It sounds like things have been difficult for you and you are certainly not alone in feeling anxious about coming out of lockdown as others have expressed the same on here. Hopefully they'll see your post and respond. In the meantime you might find it helpful to check out our free self-help guide on the topic of anxiety about going back to normal changingfaces.org.uk/advice.... Hope that helps

Take care

Tiffany

[Silvertree123 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Hidden , thankyou for your welcome

[Rees_Headley]

Hi there - I had something similar nearly 2 years ago when on my bike. I went face first into a car and needed 100 stitches in my chin and lip to put my face back together after I tore it wide open. It looks pretty good now, surgeon did a great job stitching me up. Massage definitely helps, as you say it’s tiring but it does make a big difference in terms of breaking the scar tissue down so my advice would be to keep at it. I’m now pretty comfortable with my scar and don’t camouflage it or wear a mask unless I have to die to COVID regulations. Believe me, time is the best healer and in a while you’ll look and feel a lot better

[Silvertree123 in reply to Rees_Headley]

Thankyou for your message Rees_Headley ...yes time really is the best healer! This experience is definitely teaching me patience. I'm so glad to hear that you have healed well and feel comfortable with your scar, I hope that I feel the same way after more time has passed...I'm getting there! Scar massage is definitely helping so I will keep at it.

Wishing you well on this sunny Sunday.

[AlwaysSmiling Community Ambassador]

Hi Silvertree123 and welcome!

Well done for sharing your story on here even though it was a bit scary for you. Hopefully you're starting to see that you made a good decision by doing this because I know sharing my story helped me a lot!

I'm sorry to hear about your accident and how it's left you feeling. My visible difference is also covered when I wear a mask and for the last year it has been quite nice to walk outside my house and remember that as far as people know, I'm just like them! I too worry what will happen when we no longer need to wear masks and when that bit of comfort I felt disappears.

It's perfectly normal to feel anxious about this but I've told myself that I just need to walk with my head held high. It will be difficult I'm sure but I just need to remember that I am still like everyone else even though they might not realise it.

Best wishes and good luck for the future Silvertree123!😊