C-section scars

[Redhelen]

I had my second c-section 9 weeks ago. My first was without problem. This is a nightmare. Had an infection in scar straight after - that cleared but a small section of the scar keeps pinking up and feeling twangy and itchy.It starts to heal and then flares up again - 3rd time now and getting fed up! Of course it is in a terrible position for healing - and I do try to rest as much as I can.

Has anyone else had a slow healing scar? Any wise words?

Do you dry it really well after a shower? I would lie back on the bed, and dry it with a hair dryer (on cool!). This made a world of difference.

What about that special medicated talc you used to be able to get? I don't think it's so easy to get hold of these days, but I had some that I got for ds's tummy button as that was slow to heal, so I used it on my scar too.

Hope it gets better soon

Laura's right - drying it is key (although really difficult!)

I didn't and mine ended up coming apart at one end. If it doesn't sort itself out soon, I would see a doctor about it.

A suggestion I saw somewhere else (never tried myself though) was putting a sanitary towel against the wound to keep it dry. You could just peel the sticky bit and stick it to your knickers to keep it in place.

My GP told me canistan would help after doing the hairdryer bit, then a light coating of powder.

The sanitary towel I tried but unless you have a lovely flat tummy I don't think it works.
But that's maybe me & my "enormous overhang" as I lovingly describe it!

Thanks for your comments

My doctor says I should bath with teatree oil in the bathwater twice a day pat carefully dry and lay flat for 5 minutes after to ensure its dry. I would like to use a cream or powder to help clear it - but he said not to.
I called the hospital delivery suite earlier to ask them to check my notes - as I had to have the remains of a stich removed from one end of my scar - and I'm worried there may perhaps be other stiches causing this. Hospital think this highly unlikely but ask me to call in to see them tomorrow.

I had an easy recovery after my first section, despite needing a few more stitches to close a hole on one side a few weeks later.

After my 2nd section, I had 2 infections which delayed the healing and after visiting the Dr, I was told not to lift anything heavy for at least 12 weeks.

Even now, 3.7 years on, I get pain on one side of my scar. Its the side where I had a metal clip attached to the stitches. (First section I had disolving stitches) Its sometimes so painful, I can't even stand up.

snap kid! i had exactly the same, c/s 1 healed fine no problems, recurring infection in cs scar 2, which i put down to having a lovely overhang with c/s 2 whereas with c/s my tummy was fairly flat with no overhang!

the key to it is to keep it dry and if you feel it flaring up again, shower, dry thouroghly and lay down on the bed with the scar exposed for at least 5 minutes to make sure that it is dry. i often still use paper towels to make sure compltley dry as it is very painful when it becomes sore.

I'm a very slow healer and a friend gave me a bottle of wheatgerm oil and said to rub it gently into the scar (not if the skin is broken though) as it heals. It seemed to speed up the process for me and helped the skin around the scar feel less prickly and tight. You can add healing oils to the wheatgerm too, but check they are okay for scars.

Had problems with mine too on one side and I eventually pulled out a knot of stiches which had not dissolved and was causing me the problem so getting it checked at the hosp seems like a good idea to me. I used cheap panty liners along the scar to mop up the weeping which worked for me and my midwife advised at least 3 short (5 - 10 mins max) baths a day with tea tree and lavendar in the water - apparently you must avoid softening the skin so not very hot water either. Hope you will soon be on the mend and dont hesitate to get medical attention - the side where I had the problem didnt heal well and consequently the scar on that side is wider than my knicker or bikini line and I do still feel self conscious about it even though I know no one else is looking in that area IYKWIM!

I used lavender oil after both my c-sections. It's also good for nipple problems, and is relaxing too (otherwise quite similar proerties to teatree oil). Just a few drops in the bath (and I had a bath every night). But I might just have been lucky, as I had no problems either time.

I don't have any experience with c-section scars, but I know that hypercal (a herbal cream) is really good on all other types of cuts and sores- you can get it from holland and barrett types places, might be worth a try

i had c-section with 4th baby (now got 5).my scar was stapled and i had a chest infection,and couldnt stop coughing (had to bend over and hold tum when needed to cough!)had pain at one end of scar whilst still in hospital.the midwife pulled the giant elastoplast (no word of a lie,it was padding stuff taped down with that elastoplast that is on a roll).she pulled it off,i screamed and she said 'oh dear' and walked out!i was petrified!didnt dare look!she came back in with the consultant who ummed and ahhed,then he left.the midwife told me that because id been coughing so much,the staples had come out!i was then convinced everything was going to fall out!she told me to shower the wound with luke warm water,and then pat gently and then lay to let the air get to it.they didnt re-staple,just put more dressing over,which i had to change 3 times a day.almost 6 years later,it still looks bumpy,and occasionally flares up.you can imagine how relieved i was when i was told i didnt have to have a 2nd c-section with number 5!!

oh god - this all sounds really grim - not looking forward to c-section 2!! Just wanted to add that my first one was a doddle - healed no problems at all and is fine to this day. Just in case anyone out there was getting worried!!

Had 2 sections. First one was an emergency and was rather sore, but the second one was lovely. Was awake, and the scar looks alot better than the fisrt time round.

I've had 4 (all electives) and they all healed fine but I know some people are more prone to infections than others.

Take lots of vitamin C - 500mg tablets from Boots are good and you can safely take 2 a day, it really does help with healing.

I would always be very careful and insist on seeing someone who knows what they are talking about if there are any problems.
With my first c/s, I had cellulitis, with red swelling up to my bra line a few days after birth, and went back to hospital where the midwife tried to send me straight home - saying it was normal - and I was basically overreacting!! We insisted on seeing a doctor and I was on a drip for intravenous antibiotics within 10 mins and back in hospital for a week. The tissue around the scar died and I had to have daily visits from the district nurse for three months and see a plastic surgeon several times who said I was very lucky to just have an awful scar!! If I had gone home as directed by an officious midwife I would have been seriously ill.

Hi Redhelen, sounds rough - hope you're OK! I haven't got any experience with C-sections, but have had (abdominal) operations. A product made from seaweed called Caltostat (I think...) worked great for me; it just works like a dressing that you change as and when needed. Might be worth asking your GP about?

Otherwise I never bathed, always showered, letting it dry off well, as said before; and ate lots of fruit and veg, as others have also said. Definitely helps healing... Goodluck!

Thanks for everyones comments and advise. Went to get scar checked out yesterday - all looks fine and it's healing again - fingers crossed this is the last of it!

Hope this hasn't worried any one about to have a section - my first section was easy with very little discomfort and walking the dog with pram after 5 days!

My c/s scar burst open after the nurse took out the stitches. Yep she took out the stitches (6th day) at about 3pm and by 7pm I stood up and the whole world gushed forth.

I went to hospital and they sent me home with some pads.

My Dr visited the next day and gently pulled open the wound again. thanks for that. Anyway I was left to heal on my own.

6 months later I was in trouble with an infection as I was still weeping from my C/s wound

A year later I was in hospital having it re-stitched. I would advise anyone to keep on and on to your gp and ask to see you consultant obstetrician.

Had my second c-setion three weeks ago and recommend arnica for healing. My first one was a breeze but I had a lot of scar tissue this time around and it's all been a bit more complicated. Felt a real improvement after starting arnica though. Good luck!

The antibiotic powder you might want Redhelen is called sikitrin (or some other spelling). It was my health visitor who suggested it to me, my midwives were hopeless and didnt care that I had a small section that was red and itchy and wouldnt heal. I had 2 lots of antibiotics but I still had this one stubborn moist area that wouldnt heal. I asked my GP specifically for sikitrin after the HV suggested it and it he prescribed it for me. Within 2 days I was fine. Keep asking for help, don't just let it fester. I had a huge overhang and that is why the wound just wouldnt get better, it didn't have enough fresh air. powder did the trick. When I have my next section in April I will get sikitrin from the outset.