I am curious to know if anyone else is still having trouble with the incision(s) being tender? Mine are bothe still very tender and it has been 5 weeks since my surgery. It hurts if my pant legs are touching them! It is even tender if I touch them??!! I just thought I would check with all of you who are going through this with me!! I want to know when it won't be so tender anymore!! Thanks again! Mandy

Yes, mine are still tender, not so much during the day but definitely at night. In fact, I often wake up to the incisions hurting and I have a hard time going back to sleep.

I found something interesting. My right foot has always been more tender b/c the cut was much more mangled than the left. As a result, I have put globs of aloe vera gel on it, as it really takes the sting away. I put aloe on the left foot as well, but not nearly as much as the right one. Now, my right foot looks so much better than my left foot incision-wise. It is a very light pink, and before it was a lot redder than the left. I am now putting globs of aloe on my left foot because the aloe has obviously really helped with the healing.

what you want to do is gently begin massaging the area going perpendicular
to the incision. Hope that makes sense.

I don't notice mine at all, although it is not completely flat (I had subcuticalar absorbable sutures)
I am using Mederma gel on it (to fade scars) and massage w/ camellia oil (Vit E probably just as good)

My incision still hurts if I touch it & it's been 8 weeks. Still has a big nasty looking scab too. I think it just takes a long time for the wound to heal, since we're abusing it more than, say, an abdominal wound. Even if you only weigh 100 lbs, think of the pressure & twisting involved in walking on that poor foot.

At my doctor's direction, I've been massaging the incision since it fully closed. He said that whenever an area of the body is cut, it's bound to be sensitive for some time and that these exercises help. First I apply the Mederma (I suppose other products would do, but that works for me--it seems to reduce the friction and make the exercise easier), then gently apply pressure with my thumb all the way to the end of the incision and then back again. There's no magic number here, but I do it 50 times. Seems like others on the board are massaging their foot/feet for up to 5 minutes, but the exercise isn't real comfortable and a set of 50 is about all I want to do at one time. According to my doctor, this exercise is also supposed to break down any excess scar tissue and create a smoother, less obtrusive scar.

Anyway, I'm about 3 mo. post-op and the doctor says my incisions look great and, from my perspective, they're far less painful. The shorter one has lost all its sensitivity; the longer one is still a little tender but is much better. This seems to be a variation of the exercises others are doing, but I'm not sure whether anybody has talked specifics, so I thought it might help. As usual, it's probably best to check with your doctor first. Hope it helps.

twobadfeet

Thanks to all of you for your input! Once again....I am so glad I am not alone! It is good to know that other people are experiencing the same things I am!

Twobadfeet.....being 3 months post op...how do the scars look now? Are they still red, or are they starting to look more skin colored?

Thanks!! Mandy

Twobadfeet.....being 3 months post op...how do the scars look now? Are they still red, or are they starting to look more skin colored?

Thanks!! Mandy
They've faded to a soft pink. You can still see them, but they're MUCH lighter than they were right after the bandages came off, when they were red and pretty mean-looking.

I should mention that I'm not great at remembering to use the Mederma two to three times a day as they suggest 'cause I'm trying to have a life again that doesn't revolve around my right foot. I manage to use it once each night; I'm guessing that the scars would be even more faded if I used it as directed. (My plan is to compensate by using it over a longer period of time.) But as it is, my doctor and my husband both say the incisions look "great," and I'm pretty sure only my husband is flattering me.

I think the exercises have helped as well, both in reducing sensitivity and in making sure they're flat, rather than rounded by breaking down excess scar tissue. Seeing the scars fade is proof that I really am making progress, even when I feel nothing's happening.

twobadfeet