Face injury - healing time?

[Valleyofthehappy]

I’m a bit worried. About 5 weeks ago my cats claw caught my cheek causing quite a deep
cut. My DH is a nurse and he cleaned it, applied antiseptic cream and put on steri strips. It didn’t really bleed much and it seemed to heal quite quickly.

But the scar is quite raised and red still. I thought after 5 weeks it would have faded and gone down a bit. DH tells me it will take time and it isn’t as red as it was but I am just so worried it won’t get better.

Cant apply makeup to it really as it’s not flat. I have been reading up on it and apparently this sort of injury can take months to heal and fade. I have just started putting on silicone scar strips which a doctor friend of DH has said will help.

Just feeling down about it and sick of people asking me what the scratch is on my face.

I know it’s a weird injury but wondered if anyone can share any positive stories so I stop googling plastic surgeons?

Try massaging gently three or four times a day with bio oil or Vaseline.

That should improve the blood supply to the area, so help with healing, the massaging should help with flattening it and the moisturising should help soften the scar

And be patient, healing does take a while, give it another month or so.
Rub in small little circles, gently, don’t stretch it!

I’ve had cancer removed from my face. The advice from the surgeon was to rub moisturizer hard onto the scar. Can’t remember how long after, but at least a few months. That will help flatten it out. Also use an spf on it as the sun can make it worse.

OK thanks for advice, I did buy bio oil but then read it can make the scar more red which put me off (think it’s a rare side effect) but will try it.

To me 5 weeks seems a long time although there is a chap on Instagram who detailed his “journey” after his cut scratching him and it took 5 months 😮

At least 2 mins I was told,time yourself as it's a long time. Silicone patches worked really well for me.

Ive always found cat scratches take ages to fade sorry to say!

I work in a job where I have to give presentations and I’m sick of people staring at my face rather than the screen. Was giving the cat his flea treatment when it happened, wish I’d never bothered now although he of course has forgotten!

You need Mederma scar gel. It’s a proven gel to reduce appearances of scars, especially raised ones. It is based on onion extract, so no chemical side effects or risks. My DD just used it for some fencing injuries (fencing as in sword fighting) and it’s worked really well to erase the scratches/scars.

I actually bought that mederma scar gel off Amazon but frightened myself by reading about side effects but looks like I need to give these things a go, thanks onna

I cracked my forehead open and had 12 stitches. I used a silicone based gel caked
Kelo-cote. I was also religious with spf. You would have to look really hard to be able to see it now but it did take at least six months to fade.

There scar reducing plasters that you can buy. DD2 cut her chin badly when she was a toddler and we used to put them on her when she wasn't out and over night in bed. They really seems to help

Thanks for positive stories, they really help. Guess I need to be a bit more patient.

Shameless bump, still no improvement and it’s been 36 days now.

This probably isn't helpful but my DH had a lump removed years ago. It scarred really badly, awful huge lump of a scar. It's taken a few years but I can't believe the difference now, still visible as you would expect from a huge incision but nothing like it started. I know its really hard but it's only been just over a month, give it more time. Cat scratches are horrid, no idea why, it must've really hurt 😫keep at it with sun screen and moisturiser

thehaunted that does help, Thankyou. I can’t believe my cat caused so much damage, not intentionally anyway. I know I should be patient but just had another day at work where someone asked me if I’d been in a “cat fight” and thought they were being hilarious.

@Valleyofthehappy how are you doing now?

I realise this is an older thread but maybe OP is still around . . . cat scratches are really bad. I was holding our massive tom when DH suddenly turned the hoover on. DCat is terrified of the hoover so launched himself into the air, claws out for traction. I had three deep gouges on my arms that took months to heal, and several years on are still visible as silvery-white scars on my arm. They look like self-harming scars and I'm sure people must think they are!

@Valleyofthehappy it would be great if people who are asking for advice themselves would care enough to help others out who have the same question later on. Can you give us an update?

aredhel

aredhel unfortunately nothings changed, scar still there, very red and visible. It’s been about 4 months. I keep being told it will take months and months and months. If no better after a year will look into scar revision.

I am so sorry to hear that!

aredhel how is your sons face now?