Chicken pox scars

[Dweet1259]

In April my DD got chicken pox, she mostly suffered spots on her face that didn't become infected and she didn't scratch. The scabs were really dark when they eventually fell off and left craters behind. She has about 20 that are less than 1mm width and most are not very deep. I'm expecting the few deeper ones to stay but wondered about people's experience with the more shallow ones? I'm so shocked at how noticeable they still are and everyone asks about them, telling me it's the worst they've seen etc etc. When she's upset / hot they still are quite red. It's really getting me down and I'm so worried about her starting school in September as I don't want her to face lots of questions about them and they become an issue. Would love to hear how they are months / years down the line.

Thanks - a worried mum :-(

Bump bump bump!!!

Bump!

Who's telling you "they're the worst we've seen "?
If it is something your child is upset about, speak to the gp.

Nobody nastily but just sympathetically like 'ooh she's had a nasty bout' etc etc!

To be honest she's ok with them, she says she'd like them gone and I've said they'll fade etc. Shes a very confident little girl which help but I guess that's part of my concern, I don't want her to feel self conscious. From other posts I've read GPs and even dermatologists don't seem to be able to offer any help?!

Let her be, then. My dd's chicken pox scars have faded.

Silicone can help to reduce scarring, but honestly if she's mostly ok about it I would stick with "it's just what happens sometimes with chicken pox, they will fade over time".

Thanks both. I'm glad to hear they fade. I have been using kelo cote (which I think is silicone?!) on them and plenty of SPF 50 which I would anyway at the moment but will continue to do so. I never knew a vaccine existed and would recommend to everyone after going through this!!

They will fade but it will take time. Think 6-12 months for major improvement. Ds2 was badly affected by chicken pox. He was still scarred a year later but they were faint. Then at some point they disappeared altogether - sometimes i think you can see traces of a couple on his cheek when he tans but I'm not honestly sure.

My DD had horrific infected ones. I had to take her to Aand E. She is now 9.

Two years on massively faded.
HUGE improvement! Fear not. They fade in time. It is upsetting,

Thank you so much for the reassuring words, I can't tell you how comforting they are!! I know to some it sounds trivial and of course I acknowledge that some children are really poorly and I do feel guilty about being so upset about them from that perspective, but when it's your DC it breaks your heart!!

It's horrible Dweet, also, where I live there is a vaccination and I didn't do it

But, as I say, it was terrible scarring initially, only yesterday I said to my DD that the scars had all but gone! She is a bit sad as she liked her 'circle' in the middle of her forehead you ca now barely see it at all, and it was really deep, believe me.

It does take 2 years though. I was also advised to keep her out of the sun for the first year. (Not easy here in 40 degree heat)

You shouldn't feel guilty about not getting her vaccinated, I regret not doing it, but only with the benefit of hindsight and hand on heart I probably wouldn't have done it because I would never have realised the effects it could have!! My DS caught it off my DD and was fine, not a mark on him!! It's just bizarre.

I'm so relieved to hear about your daughter, and I hope other people were able to provide you with the reassurance back then that you've given me. In terms of depth, when you say 'really deep' can you remember in terms of mm?

I've been religious with the SPF 50, it's going on every day even when it's cloudy!! Thanks for the tip I'll continue for the next year or so (or however long it takes!!)

Thanks again for the support.