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Original poster

To ask about your cesarean [and other gynae op] scars

53 replies

Cronesquerness · 23/08/2018 09:48

I had one of my ovaries removed years ago, the incision was made across my body above pubic hair, [bikini line?] After healing I have what can only be called an 'overhang'! I've lost, gained and lost weight and the overhang is always there. What are yours like? Is this usual or have we all been sewn back together like this?

OP posts:
pacempercutiens · 23/08/2018 09:51

I have the 'overhang' from my C-section. I believe it's referred to as an apron as well. I'm trying to lose weight to get rid but I heard you have to get to a ridiculously low fat % to get rid. Mine is shrinking a bit though as I lose weight

Original poster
Cronesquerness · 23/08/2018 09:52

I lost a LOT of weight and was under 8 stone at one point, 5foot 5 and the overhang was still there, smaller but still there and I had very little fat at all on my body.

OP posts:
Kewqueue · 23/08/2018 09:53

I don't have an overhang from csection as it is lower than you describe . I don't have a flat stomach either btw!

SnipeTheListing · 23/08/2018 09:57

Like Kewqueue mine is lower than you describe. I'm 8.5 stone and have no overhang and can't even find the scar. I had twins so my tummy is soft where it stretched but no overhang.

Littlewhitedove · 23/08/2018 09:58

I had a Hysterectomy due to a large tumour on my overy and my scar is from my belly button down to the top of the pubic area...a pretty long scar. I have overhang and I have had to learn to live with it. There are areas of my tummy that have no sensitivity where nerves and muscles were cut through. I am on a weight loss journey, 3 stone so far but know that without surgery the flabby bit will probably stay however much weight I lose.

MakeLemonade · 23/08/2018 10:00

Overhang here too, although definitely better the thinner I am.

Apparently massage of the scar tissue can be very helpful but I have tried it (pregnant again so will do once this one is out!).

Fatted · 23/08/2018 10:02

I've got an overhang. It's excess skin mainly form having 2 enormous babies. I'll be honest I never lost the weight after my youngest, but I doubt it would make much difference even if I did.

BlairWaldorfsHeadband · 23/08/2018 10:02

I haven’t got it, I had a cesarean and it’s healed perfectly, you can barely see it.

But I know loads of women who do have the overhang! Either is normal.

ThePerfect1IThinkNot · 23/08/2018 10:04

My kids are 24 and 25 and I still have my caesarean overhang... my weight has gone up and down over the years but there has always been a little overhang there.

Momotheathlete · 23/08/2018 10:04

I haven't got it, but my scar is also lower than yours.

Coldilox · 23/08/2018 10:04

My C Section scar is lower, its within my pubes if that makes sense. I did have an overhang but have lost weight recently (down from over 12 stone to 9 stone 10, size 10 now) and it's not there anymore. I'm not super lean by any means but losing the weight has made a difference.

Wishicouldsleep · 23/08/2018 10:10

I didn't have an apron overhang from my first c section.

But I do from my second :-(

I thought I was just going to get away with it. But I think it must be how they stitch you.

80sMum · 23/08/2018 10:13

My c-section scar is about 7 inches long and is longitudinal, beginning just below my belly button and running to just below my pubic hairline.

My tummy looks as though my skin is hanging on a coat peg, as the top of the scar holds the skin up in the place where it was when I was pregnant, whereas the surrounding skin wants to be lower down, so it hangs diagonally down on both sides of the peg!

Original poster
Cronesquerness · 23/08/2018 10:22

It sounds as though it depends on the way we were sewn back together which affects whether we are left with any overhang or not. I worked very hard trying to get rid of mine but nothing worked, it got smaller but my lower abs area will never be flat again since the oophorectomy.

OP posts:
Wormzy · 23/08/2018 10:23

I have one from an emergency appendicitis. Overhang has been there since I was a child, gets better with weight loss, but it never, ever disappears. It's still a massive cause of insecurity, many decades later.

Distancehelp · 23/08/2018 10:27

I had a 22x18cm ovarian cyst removed and my scar runs belly button down to bikini line. My stomach is lopsided because of the space the cyst took up, and it’s hard to tone that area.

Booklover18 · 23/08/2018 10:32

I’ve had 3 caesarean’s - first was fairly high up, but the other two the cuts are lower. I have serious overhang that I don’t think will ever go. my weight has gone up and down over the years. I’ve gone past caring to be honest, I don’t wear bikinis anymore so no one can see except me - of course I’d prefer not to be like that - but I’d rather have my children here safe and healthy.

LegoLady95 · 23/08/2018 10:36

I don't have an overhang. I've had 2 c-sections 5 years apart. I remember during my second one that the surgeon chopped the old scar away and said 'let's get rid of that', so DH always says I had a tummy tuck as well.

The reason I had a a second section was because of placenta praevia - they said the placenta had completely adhered to the scar tissue from my first section, so maybe that is why he had to get rid of the old scar.

BusterGonad · 23/08/2018 10:41

I don't have over hand as such. But if I put in weight I do get a shelf like tummy, it literally sticks out at a sharp angle!

ItWentInMyEye · 23/08/2018 10:44

I have a 4 inch scar from emergency c-section, and a definite overhang. Even when I lose quite a bit of weight it's still there. My MIL has had overhang since her section 35 years ago and even when back to skinny/gym going she has the overhang.

Uglybear · 23/08/2018 10:48

I have the overhang, couldn't care less.

FuckyDuzz · 23/08/2018 10:49

I don’t have an overhang but mine is lower and within my pubes too like a few PP

Can I ask (sorry to hijack) how long did everyone’s take to properly heal and disappear?
It’s been 6 nearly 7 months since mine and it’s still very big (almost hip to hip) bright red and really lumpy still, I feel like it’s barely changed since I first saw it, the bruising has gone and that’s about it
Everyone keeps telling me it’ll disappear but I feel like it would’ve by now, is mine going to stay like this forever??

Chocolatecoffeeaddict · 23/08/2018 10:51

I have an overhang. I've had 4 c sections, my last one was 11 months ago and I am a couple of stone overweight so it is noticeable to me. After my first section it took me about 3 years to go. It didnt go completely though. I had lost the weight and there was no fat in my overhang just a bit of loose skin, but tbh it was barely noticeable. I'm hoping with weight loss it will reduce again like it did the first time.

OutPinked · 23/08/2018 10:52

I have it and I’ve never had a c-section Grin. It’s just there from having three big babies... I can’t do anything about it aside from surgery so I’ve just learnt to live with it.

Allthepinkunicorns · 23/08/2018 10:53

I had an emergency c section 5 years ago, no overhang but its quite low down, below my pubic line. I still have a large scar which doesn't look like it will ever disappear though. I would say about 7ish I inchs long.

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