TW scars. Should I cover them

[Kakkilakki]

What would you think if you saw this on the beach? Should I keep covering my scars? I don’t want to upset anyone. I‘ve been wearing board shorts for many years but hate the tan line.

If they were recent, I'd be worried for your safety. Those are old, so I wouldn't be worried. They look like big stretch marks more than self-injury scars.

They are barely noticeable. People won't be looking for them, so I doubt they'll notice at all. I wouldn't worry about it.

Sometimes I do see people out and about with scars. If they are obviously from self harm, I think it's good that they don't feel ashamed of their history, but obviously it tells me they have probably had a history of severe mental health problems. I've never had to relate to those people outside shop servers who have them, so don't know how it would influence me otherwise, if it would.

It’s her body, her scars, her choice.

I used to as well as a teenager after a really traumatic experience, you can’t even see anything all these years later as mine weren’t deep.

But I do have scars on my back I keep covered always. it’s from surgeries but has really effected my MH terribly as I have a disability linked to it. I feel too vulnerable for anyone to see as my mind tells me if they see I have a weakness someone might hurt me. Silly I know but it’s related to the trauma as a teen and subsequent abuse from men.

But yes no one decent will ever judge her and if they do they aren’t worth knowing.

I certainly wouldn’t cover them as they look fine - I don’t know how scars do in the sun though so maybe cream them well?

Well that’s a pretty sad statement.

My teenage angst scars were just that really due to being attacked and raped by a stranger. My way of coping was that and calls to the Samaritans as I couldn’t cope. I was only 16, just a young girl. Not something I like to discuss ever and to think that if I had a lot of visible scarring you would back off being friends with me is pretty awful.

From then until my late 40s I had no MH problems. I then had a nervous breakdown and have subsequently been diagnosed with PTSD, agoraphobia, anxiety and depression. Mainly due to the attack, lack of support and then a completely horrible violent ex.

To think you would hold back on being friends with me if you saw scars is really sad. Apart from my back (surgery related) all my bad scars are on the inside. I have to live with that every day but I don’t inflict it onto my friendships or on to anyone.

anyway I’m off to ponder all of that sadly. I’m now thinking over the years maybe I’ve lost friends because I was attacked like it was my fault.

Good spot. Scar tissue tends to lack melanin, so factor 50 on those bits.

Simply this..... you look great. You clearly want to try something different than what you normally, be bold, enjoy the new experience x

OP, get your legs and your bikini out. The only thing you need to cover your (barely noticeable) scars with is sunscreen.

Without meaning to be rude, I doubt anyone could care less about your legs. I certainly couldn't and, if forced to think about it, I'd just assume you'd had an accident that left a mark. Just stop overthinking things and wear what you want to.

Agree with others barely noticeable and I would not even give a second thought - if I did notice would assume some sort of stretch mark as I have those. They are close to your private’s so I suspect people would not be staring at them as that would make them look pervy!!

But over and above that, for your own mental health, I think it’s important you draw a line in your past and leave it in the past and accept your body in its totality. I don’t think it’s good for you, especially your confidence, to feel you have to cover / hide a part of your body for others especially strangers.

And if a young person with mental health issues did see them and worked out what they are - I think you would be a brilliant role model for them to show recovery and acceptance is possible.

Honestly I can barely see them, I had to zoom in and even then I wouldn't have noticed had you not said. Go free!

This. l remember seeing a woman topless on a beach (many of us on the beach were topless) with just one boob after a mastectomy, l take my hat off to her!

People who stare hard enough at your upper thighs to notice them are people who's views need not being respected. Enjoy your life and beach time.

I think the only people who would clock it would be others who have faced similar challenges and you certainly won’t be getting any judgement from them.

Your scars are quite feint so I doubt most people would even notice them. I have very visible scars on my arms and don’t cover them up all the time. I’m a bit wary when meeting someone I don’t know well but no one’s ever said anything bad about them.

I wouldn't be staring at strangers upper thighs.

I guess if I thought about it I'd assume either an accident or historical SH as the possible reason for it. But it wouldn't really even get that far into my brain.

I've got scars all over the bottom bit of my arm and nobody has ever said anything or even noticed as far as I know. I don't ever think scars are particularly ugly or obvious anyway. Everyone's probably got at least one somewhere!

Honestly OP, it’s only from reading two pages of replies that I’ve realised what may have caused the scars in the first place! And my first thought was to zoom in as I was a bit ‘what scars?’

People really dont think that much about strangers either way tbh. No one will notice, or care. Not in a nasty way, it simply isn’t important to your average random stranger what other people’s legs look like.

Wear the clothing you want. Be proud of your journey. And just go live your life, without overthinking it and changing who you are or compromising for strangers you will never meet and will almost certainly not even have given you a second thought

If I saw them it genuinely wouldn’t cross my mind at all tbh - I doubt I’d notice 😂. If I was up close and personal it would probably enter my head they were SH but only because I’m a student nurse and have recent experience of it. I certainly wouldn’t think anything negative, if anything I’d be more likely to think that you are someone who has been through something and come out the other side. Strong.

I've got scars from horrendous eczema wounds which I've had since childhood..I don't cover up. You shouldn't have to either.

I wouldn’t think anything negative, only that I hoped you were in a better place and being more kind to yourself 🩷

The only thing you should cover them with is factor 50 (even on the dullest days they are sensitive to uv rays), and be proud of how far you've come.

I think they’re barely noticeable, and honestly if I had noticed they look more like stretch marks to me so I wouldn’t pay any attention ❤️

I have the exact same scars, some of mine are a little bigger as I went a bit too deep a couple of times, and I don’t cover up on the beach