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Worried about scar and hardness around it after THR

Posted , 12 users are following.

michelle69640
michelle69640

hi I had a THR 7 weeks ago. I have got a heaviness around the scar esp. when I lie down and the area around the scar is hard. I have been massaging bio oil in the area. But still concerned everything is normal as I can't find any discussions related to this problem.

i see my consultant next week for 8 weeks check. Hope he might sign me off but still got this scar issue.

any advise please

1 like, 24 replies

24 Replies

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  • Minana
    Minana michelle69640

    Posted

    I'm 4 weeks post thr and have been wondering the same thing. Thx for asking! The scar itself is well healed and dark purple. I think it has stretched a bit, as in it's a wider line, in last week or so and I wondered if putting steristrips on again would help it not to stretch. Mine is cold and hard to touch.

    • michelle69640
      michelle69640 Minana

      Posted

      Hi minana, four weeks seems quite early for the scar to look better. Was your scar stitched or stapled? Mine was glued.. and as it is very long they must have used some really good medicinal glue...not sure about putting on steristrips...mine scar was hot and hard... but we are all so different and heal at different rates. Good luck with scar and recovery
    • Minana
      Minana michelle69640

      Posted

      Hi Michelle. My scar has internal dissolving stitches and was well steri- stripped for a good 2 weeks. Was hot and hard. More cold and hard now. Size of hardness improved. I'm. Putting a little heat on it at times when I massage it to help blood flow to scar tissue. Not long but it seems to help. I heard rose hip oil is better than bio oil from a nurse friend. Good luck! M

  • wendy75910
    wendy75910 michelle69640

    Posted

    normal - it'll get less - I'm assuming by ;heaviness' you mean the hard dense lumpiness that is associated with the area...mine persisted until very recently but is normalizing now (I'm 15 weeks post op)

  • kimberley38758
    kimberley38758 michelle69640

    Posted

    Hi Michelle,

    The scar tissue will deminish with time.  I used Vitamin E oil.  It comes in capsules.  Just pierce the capsule and apply the oil on the scar using circular motions.

    I'm 8 months post op now and the scar tissue is soft and very light in color. 

    Give it a trysmile

     

  • kathleenberch
    kathleenberch michelle69640

    Posted

    Hello Michelle! Kathy here, 15 mos post op LTHR, traditional side entrance method, 12' scar......

    I was also worried about the hardness around the scar and general area, but my doctor told me it was completely normal and would go away with time... And so it did! But for the first 4 months I had that hardness. I didn't massage the scar nor did I apply any gels or creams...it just softened after quite a few months. Now it's just fine, normal and soft around the scar like my leg used to be. So don't worry, everything will be ok. It's a deep incision and will take time to completely heal. Good luck and get well soon! 😊😊

    • michelle69640
      michelle69640 kathleenberch

      Posted

      Hi Kathy, thanks for your reply. I have still been massaging my scar with bio oil and got some high quality apricot oil which sink into the skin well. Today I have a sharp pain from underneath my scar, but think this is one of the dissolvable stitches deep into muscle, just hoping it will go.

      my consultant signed me off yesterday, but said "8 weeks is very early days. It will take it to a year to feel you are back to normal!"

      i was a bit shocked by this. Thought it would all be ok now...but as consultant isn't concerned, suppose I will accept that.

    • kathleenberch
      kathleenberch michelle69640

      Posted

      I there again Michelle! Yes what the counselor told you is true. Just consider what has been done to your hip, that you have a large metal body part inside of you and what it took to place that in your body!!...cutting, sawing, drilling, stitching......its a hefty operation. You need patience. I took me a good year to say I'm pretty much back to normal with restrictions though i don't mind. I'm so much better off than BEFORE my operation!😊 i feel blessed and lucky to have had this operation , gave me a new lease on life! Follow doctor's orders to the letter and don't pressure yourself. Time heals all 😊 🍀

    • michelle69640
      michelle69640 kathleenberch

      Posted

      Hi thanks for the reassurance. Got to much more patience. Yes our bodies have been put through a lot....your right... cheers 
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