Conference moira::parenting_v3

    I had been told to put pure cocoa butter on the scar, once it's
    completely closed.  In the states it's sold in the drugstore with the
    burn remedies.  I can't say from a personal point of view, mine isn't
    terribly noticable, but it's a bikini cut.  But the cocoa butter has
    helped other surgical scars I own.
    
    Beware of the cocoa butter if you're a "chocoholic", the smell is so
    strong it'll drive you to the nearest chocolate bar!!
    
    Lyn
    

    My son is 20 months and my scar is still quite purple.
    I know they were in a hurry to get the baby (he was breech)
    so a neat incision wasn't a priority.  I know other women 
    who's scars dissapeared within the 1st year.
    
    

    
    The scar should lighten up and turn nearly white.  It does depend where
    it is though.  If it is in a place where your underwear or pantyhose
    rubs against it, this will irritate it and slow down the process.  I
    have had 3 caesareans and have seen the process several times!
    
    -dorothy

    I've had 2 caesareans. Within 9 months after each, the scar had totally 
    disappeared. I cannot tell where either incision was. When I was being 
    prepped for the second (20 months after the first), the doctor tried to 
    find the scar for the first incision, as he wanted to cut in the same 
    place. However, he could not find it.
    
    Gracemary

    My son was born via ceasarean 9 months ago and I still have a very
    prominent red scar, although it has faded somewhat.  I am also still 
    numb in some areas on my stomach around the scar (the doctor said this 
    was normal and I may never regain feeling there because they have to
    cut some nerves while doing the ceasarean).  I guess it just depends
    on how big the cut is and how they close it up.
    
    Lori B.   

    My son was born 21 years ago ( :-) ) and my scar tho still visible
    (like a crease down the middle of my stomach) is definitely no
    longer red.
    
    Bonnie

    I think it depends a lot on *your* skin characteristics.  My surgical
    scars fade to white, but never disappear.  I have scars from 20 years
    ago that the doc told me would fade and disappear within a couple of
    months, and they're not gone.  My C-section scars behaved similarly.
    I don't think it necessarily has much to do with how the surgery was
    done.
	cheryl

    I'm another one with a C section, and the scar did eventually fade.  I
    can just barely find it if I look closely.  Give it some time, nine
    months is not long.  And I think it depends on your skin type also. 
    I'm very fair, Irish descent.
    
    Not that it much matters if it fades, only my husband ever sees THAT
    part of me anymore.  After four kids, no more bikinis for me!  8*}
    

A lot depends on the Doctor. My wife knew at about about 7.5 months that
Andrew had turned, and was to big to comfortably be manipulated around. Her
sister had had an emergency C-Sect several years before, with a vertical scar,
that still showed. My wife expressed concern about this to the doctor, He said
not to worry, He mad a low horizontal incision. Within 12 months, there was no
evidence of scarring, and she was back in some of those stunning bikinis...

q

    
    It depends on your skin type. My scar (same incision for 2 sections)
    faded to pinkish after 9 months or so. But it was still bumpy after 5
    years. 
    I gave up on bikinis ever since my first kid was born - not due to the
    scar, but the stretch marks - they don't go away...
    
    
    
    Eva

    The real determining factor for your C-section scar is the type of skin
    you have.  If you develop Keloids, which is red-bumpy scarring, you
    will experience the same thing with your C-section scar.  My scar is so
    low, (after two C-sections) that I wouldn't dare wear a bikini that
    low.  However, I have dark Italian skin and I do not scar.  As a result
    my scar is not visible, although it is still slightly numb in that
    area.  (and my baby is six years old)

    My baby is 6 too, and my bikini-cut scar is white and looks like a
    crooked smile  : J   ... and the right corner of it *still* itches
    every once in a while!  Sheesh!
    
    Leslie 

    My first section scar was still red, wide and bumpy after 2 years.  The
    surgeon used staples to  close it.
    
    My second section scar is now 2.3 years old and is white-ish, thin and
    smooth.  The (different) surgeon used clear surgical tape to close it.
    
    I have very thin, fair, freckled skin, but IMO, it depends more on the
    skill of the surgeon closing the incision.
    
    Donna
    

    My scar, from 2 c-sections, 1 6 years ago, 1 3 years ago, is faded to
    the color of the rest of my skin, but you can still feel a 'bump' under
    the skin where the scar is.  It's a bikini cut, actually slightly lower
    than the hair line, which means that in some places the hair isn't all
    there along the scar line.  For the MOST part, all feeling has
    returned, but it's definitely not as sensitive as non-scar areas.  
    
    My first one was straight as an arrow, the second is crooked - I'm told
    it's because of the epideral and cutting while you're at an angle (as
    opposed to the 1st being a spinal and flat on my back).  Both were
    closed with steri-strips (clear surgical tape), the 1st by default, the
    2nd by request, so the only scar is the scar itself - no staple-dots!
    
    Based on just the way the scar looks, I wouldn't hesitate to wear a
    bikini -- of course seeing the rest of me and those stretch marks keeps
    me out of one (-:
    
    It'll fade and you won't even notice it did!! (-:
    
    Patty