Scar Treatment?

[robinw]

Hi,

 

Iker has a large scar that goes completely around his neck. There is absolutely no hair on it and sometimes it turns pink. Can anybody recommend any treatment or anything I can put on it to possibly encourage hair growth, or to make things more comfortable for him?

 

thanks

 

[revamp]

does it seem to bother him any?

 

If it's well-healed, I'm not sure there's much you can do. Hair won't grow on scar tissue and as long as it's healed there's not much to gain from putting topicals on it. I know the scar pains you (and all of us), but I bet he doesn't even know it's there. What a handsome, lucky boy who has found his home with you.

[a_daerr]

Truman kept bothering the cats, and ended up with a little scar on his face from the cat swatting him. I used Vitamin E oil on it twice a day. The hair eventually grew back within a couple of weeks. I've heard you can also use Mederma (Target has a generic brand that's half the price). This was just a surface scar that wasn't very deep, so I'm not sure how much can be done with a more substantial scar.

[GeorgeofNE]

I'm with Revamp. If it's completely healed, I'd just leave it. If it's at all crusty, then I'd try rubbing Bag Balm into it (the real stuff, not the bogus "udder balm" knock offs you can buy). That might make him want to lick it, and drive him nuts though!

[galgomum]

Vitamine E should help keeping the skin smooth and don't forget to use sun lotion. Use it before you even would think using it for yourself.

And you may want to use bandana's and so on when it gets colder to protect it.

[Guest SoulsMom]

Awwww, that makes my heart hurt

[JAJ2010]

I would probably just rub whatever lotion that I had on hand. With horses bacon fat always helped promote hair growth on scars but those were relatively fresh wounds. He might like the bacon fat too much and try to eat himself.

[Yamaha_gurl]

Isn't the "cure" for hair growth melatonin?

[robinw]

Isn't the "cure" for hair growth melatonin?

I'm not really as concerned about hair growth as I am about possible discomfort.

 

Petra took this pic of Iker this past weekend. You can see how pink his scar looks.

 

Edited May 1, 2012 by robinw

[Guest brandi007]

No advice but he's beautiful Robin!

[greyhead]

Spencer has really dry paw pads, and Bag Balm hasn't helped much. So someone gave me the idea to try aloe vera gel, and it is doing a much better job! It absorbs better, for one thing. So as a safe, softening agent, you might try that. We're using the stuff that's 99% pure aloe vera, though it's in a tube.

[Burpdog]

I'd try vitamin E. I'll ask my alternative vets what they suggest.

[XTRAWLD]

I vote for Vitamin E oil as well. I had to nurse some wounds on myself last year and to help reduce scaring I used the Vitamin E oil. Even encourages hair regrowth!

 

Comes in a little glass bottle with plastic applicator (bought mine at Shoppers Drug for $14). It's goopy and annoying, that's the only problem. You wouldn't want him to rub up against a couch or something....it's easily removed by water, but it can be a bit annoying, but it does work! Alternatively even Vitamin E lotion might work....but the oil will do wonders.

[carronstar]

I know vets have topical and injectible melatonin for hair growth but imagine that would be costly. If you are not in a rush, the tablets have been shown on here to aid in butt hair growth, maybe they'd do the same for his lovely neck.

 

He is a gorgeous boy.

[PrairieProf]

I've read that scientific studies show that Vitamin E doesn't actually help scar healing and actually can hurt it ... I stopped using it on my scar from thyroid surgery when I read that. What did make a very visible difference was silicone gel sheets -- really visibly shrunk the scar and inflammation/pinkness every time I used them. I have no idea how you'd use them on a galgo's neck! I think they have silicone gel for scars you can rub in, too.

 

Here is a commentary on the Vitamin E claims: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/13/health/13real.html

Edited May 1, 2012 by PrairieProf

[sweetdogs]

Like greyhead, I love aloe vera gel for skin issues. Very soothing. And along the lines of JAJ2010, maybe coconut oil might be something to try? Not so much for hair regrowth but it has lots of other good properties. It's not supposed to be too greasy but he may smell like a big 'ole pina coloda.

 

He's beautiful. (He looks like he's wearing a crap-ton of tags, but maybe that's the picture or just for GIG?)

[robinw]

Like greyhead, I love aloe vera gel for skin issues. Very soothing. And along the lines of JAJ2010, maybe coconut oil might be something to try? Not so much for hair regrowth but it has lots of other good properties. It's not supposed to be too greasy but he may smell like a big 'ole pina coloda.

 

He's beautiful. (He looks like he's wearing a crap-ton of tags, but maybe that's the picture or just for GIG?)

Not that many. His licence, rabies tag, Phene's St. Francis tag and an id tag.

[Jerilyn]

Is it a relatively new scar? Like months rather than years? From my personal experience, time is the biggest factor in the reduction of the appearance of scars. It might take a year, but the pinkness and puffiness should diminish, hopefully to a point where his fur will cover most of it (like a comb over ).

The sun can also aggravate scars. Sunblock is a really good idea and be aware of any other creams or oils that you put on it that might amplify the sun's rays.

[Guest grey_dreams]

In agreement with what others have suggested about using Vitamin E and protecting from the sun by using sunblock or a bandana. I would also perform T-touch or acupressure on Iker, with special focus on his head, neck, chest, and shoulder area. He is really beautiful Robin, love the photo that Petra took.

[robinw]

Is it a relatively new scar? Like months rather than years? From my personal experience, time is the biggest factor in the reduction of the appearance of scars. It might take a year, but the pinkness and puffiness should diminish, hopefully to a point where his fur will cover most of it (like a comb over ).

The sun can also aggravate scars. Sunblock is a really good idea and be aware of any other creams or oils that you put on it that might amplify the sun's rays.

I have no idea. It would be at least a year old.

[rascalsmom]

I was told many years ago that cocoa butter is good for reducing the redness of scars. Not sure if it works. My personal experience--I had thyroid surgery many, many years ago (right after high school), and it left a largish scar--just the way my skin heals. I used cocoa butter on it, but now, many, many years later (think MORE than 30!! ) it is still visible.

 

HOWEVER, early on, it was much redder and believe it or not it got VERY red when I would drink alcohol!! So keep Iker away from the booze, too.

 

My scar, while still visible, isn't as bad as it once was. So perhaps with time Iker's will be less noticeable. I agree though--keep sunscreen on it. Or a bandana would cover it, too, that's a good idea, since you don't want him licking sunscreen.

[MaryJane]

Probably any type of cream (cocoa butter) will help any dryness and sooth discomfort. Hard to tell from the picture but, you might want to use halters rather than collars to make sure nothing is rubbing against that area.

[Batmom]

I would just make sure it doesn't get dry, so any kind of lotion / cream from time to time, and sunscreen if you're going to be out in the sun for a period of time. At this point it isn't terribly likely that it will grow hair, but you might see thicker growth along the edges as time goes by.

[krissn333]

Palmer's Tummy Butter (Palmer's makes all kinds of cocoa butter products, but the tub of Tummy Butter is the best) !

[JJNg]

I think all the moisturizing ideas are good ones. Doubt melatonin would help hair regrowth on scar tissue since it is not normal skin.

 

However, is Iker doing anything to make you think it bothers him or is uncomfortable when the scar is pink? Does he rub or scratch at it? Seem sensitive if you touch it? Since the skin over a scar is thinner, it may just look pink whenever there is increased blood flow - like when he's hot, excited, nervous, or after activity.