I wasn't sure where to put this...

I was wondering if anyone had experience with cutting? I mean....has anyone had this problem in the past or have it currently. I used to be very unhappy about myself when I was in my early teens and so I cut myself...well, actually I used a safety pin to burn myself, but same concept.

My question is...how have you covered it up? I only have the scars on my left shoulder/upper arm area and it stops me from wearing tanktops and swim suits. I could care less that I'm fat now...I just don't want people to see what the emotional pain I was in, caused. You know what I mean? I've thought about getting a tattoo over it, but I'd love to just have arms with nothing on them. *sigh* *hangs head*

My boyfriend knows about them but that doesn't take away from the fact that I'm embarassed, even if he doesn't care and loves me the way I am.

So ...anyone? Thanks

Hi Sheila,

Gee I'm not sure how to cover scars...most of mine are on my belly from surgeries and well...my clothes cover them. I would suggest asking a dermatologist if there is any cream you can apply to shrink / lighten them.

I don't know if most people would realize what your scars are from, like me for instance. If I saw some one with scars...first thing that would come to my mind is accident. You don't need to be ashamed (although I do understand) and if anyone asks just say you fell of your bike when you were younger and got scrapped up...its none of their business.

to you !!!!!

Leenie

See, I don't like lying...doesn't make me feel very good, and anyone who knows about cutting....KNOWS what the scars look like. It's obvious....and it's VERY obvious it isn't from an accident.

Your scars are very different...I WISH mine were on my stomach, since no one EVER sees my stomach, but I would love to wear a tank top once in a while or look cute in a sun dress. *sigh*

I have Sally Hansens Air Brush Legs. You can buy it a walgreens, or CVS. I forgot all about it, but I found some. I used to use it because I had a job were I had to show my legs, and I have bruises, and all kinds of scars. But I recently tryed it on my stomach for my stretch marks. And what do you know. MY stomach looks awesome. It really does. I use it for all of my body now, to erase some scars. Im pretty sure it will cover up those kinds of scars to. And after you spray it on, after it dries. It doesnt feel weird or anything, you wont even know its there.

Aside from using some sort of cover-up like staciec878 suggested, I'd see if perhaps a doctor could laser them off or something like that. They may not be able to make it disappear completely, but they might be able to make it less obvious as to what it is.

Now, I want to say something, but please take this as just my opinion from my personal experience. We are all different and have to what is right for us and not everyone benefits from the same things. I find it very healing to be open about the pain that I've been through in life. I'll admit it does make some people uncomfortable, but this is who I am and they'll get over it. I am who I am and I don't need to apologize for it! Depression is something that more people go through than you'd think. I feel that the signs of it (and the disease in general) need to be talked about more. It's no different than any non-emotional medical problem and should be viewed as such! It does not make you a weak person! It's nothing to be embarrassed about either. In fact, I would view your scars as a badge of honor, since it is something you have come through and conquered.

That being said, you need to do what is comfortable for you in your situation. I think it shows great strength of character that you can admit on 3fc that you have been through this.

Like I said it was just my opinion and not the right thing for everyone. I didn't mean to offend.

I still struggle with depression and probably will my whole life. I find it easier to deal with when it is out in the open and not hidden. This is what works for me. I'm not telling anyone what is best for themselves.

Have you tried any of the scar reducing creams, such as Mederma? There are a few out that are available over the counter at most place like CVS, Target, Wal-Mart, etc. Also, I have found that cocoa butter has worked well for me... I have a surgery scar on my chest that has benefited from daily use of cocoa butter... just a couple of ideas that would be less expensive than laser removal. However, with the cocoa butter, it took nearly three months of DAILY use before I started to see a difference.

Best wishes.

I have a good friend who has cut for...on/off for a pretty long time, anyway. She has several visible scars on her arms.

Her attitude is that of course they arnt good things, but its noones business but her own how she got them. But I can't fully understand seeing how my favoured form of selfharm was eating disorders, which arnt visible unless I talk about it.

Theres a product called Bio-Oil which is meant to be good?

emily
xxx

I am glad you brought this up. I have these kinds of scars all over my arm . I usually would cut in the same spots, creating deep wounds that left bad scarring..They haven't really faded in the last 4 years or so since I quit. I am SOOO embarrased by them, as they are on my forearm so unless I want to wear longsleeves everyday, anyone can see them. I have been trying Mederma, but I haven't seen much of a difference. No one has really asked me about them though, so I guess if anyone evr does I would just say I was tomboy growing up and had alot of accidents or some lame excuse. I don't want people to know that I felt I needed to cut myself because I was in so much mental anguish.

I started cutting when I was 13, when my first bf manipulated me into having sex with him. Then it got worse then I met a guy online and I was only around 14. I stopped cutting by the time I was 15. It wasn't about dying, or anything like that. I always felt like I failed, and for some reason I had to hurt myself...it made me feel better, but really, I wasn't better.

My scars are all along the inside of my left wrist. I used to wear those sports arm bands to cover it up, but now I don't. Yeah when I had to hand cash to customers at work I'd always wonder if they saw the scars and what they thought, but really, they can think what they want.

I guess I'm just open enough to say, "Yeah, I did that, and it was a hard time in my life, but I'm better now."

I hope you find a way to be comfortable with your scars, though. That's all it's really about, being comfortable with yourself.

For me cutting was really like how some people use drugs or alchohol....It calmed me down and centered me when I thought I was about to breakdown...Once I felt physical manifestation of the mental anguish I was in...I was calm again..I have never talked to anyone about this, so it's nice to know others have had this problem too.

I appreciate the replies! Thank you so much....

That air brush stuff sounds like it would do the trick...especially for special occassions like my wedding and when I play to be at the beach....at least until I go into the water..

You're right, I shouldn't be embarassed because everyone goes through some kind of mental and emotional anguish sometime in their life, it's just that some don't have visible marks on them.

I think it bothers other people more than it bothers me..ya know? To know that I EVER hurt that much really gets to people. Anyhow....gotta go drive my parents to the airport...*big yawn*

Someone mentioned above that she used to wear a wrist band to cover scars. You could do something similar and get (or make) an arm band for your upper arm. I remember there was an R&B singer, Monica, who had a tattoo on her upper arm that she always covered with a band of fabric because she didn't want young impressionable people to go out and get tattoos just because she had one. The band always matched her outfit (you can have all kinds of colors) and looked like a fashion statement. If anyone asks about it, you can just say there are markings on your arm that you want to cover up. That can mean either a tattoo, scars, or a birthmark; it's no one's business really, so you don't have to say specifically what the marks are. You mentioned there were some scars on the shoulder; that might be a little harder to cover up, but if they're mostly on the arm I imagine you could get by if you also use one of the other products mentioned.

This does remind me of an incident in high school. Our choir gowns were sleeveless and I noticed a girl had cuts on each upper arm. In my naivete and ignorance, I asked (with several people within earshot) what had happened and made a fuss over her. I was genuinely concerned and it never occured to me that she would have done them herself. Someone with a little more sense had quietly ushered me away to leave the poor girl alone; it was a long time after that I realized what the scars were (I had a fairly sheltered upbringing). Of course in retrospect I feel really bad to think how much I must have embarrassed her in front of everyone.

I hope you find something that makes you feel comfortable to wear swimsuits and tank tops. I used to live in Michigan and I know it gets hot in the summer there.

there's always that...i dont know how to spell it....maderma? mederma? miderma? idk...it's suppossed to be good for scars. you don't have to lie about them. you don't have to go into extreme detail or anything, just say that you went through some bad times and used to cut. that's all you have to say. if they can't deal with it, thats their problem.

Hey! I believe we've met on here before! Wow, you're very different from me..I used to be absolutely petrified of anyone seeing my marks...I always worried that the scars would be embarassing and whatnot. But you know what? I don't care anymore..and it hasn't even been all that long since I decided to stop. I have scars on both legs/thighs (keloided, I might add), scars on both arms and wrists andddd very very straight, prominent keloided scars on my upper left arm. I see them as my battle wounds, and when people make mention of it, I simply shrug it off...they know it's in the past (well, lets hope it remains that way :X)


OH! Try Mederma....or you could just try using your basic concealer...that's about the best I could do, sorry.


Good luck!