4 months post step 1
1 month post take down. Stoma scar is so minimal

I guess every surgeon does it differently, but after seeing my sealed stoma I'm not sure about the open wound stomas I see. Mine was just sewn up horizontqally

Now that's a beautiful scar! It will fade even more with time.

Thanks for the post. I love when people post positive things and pictures as proof. I am 2 weeks post takedown and I believe my scar will be very similar to yours. It is very fine and seems to be healing nicely.

One of the first things I asked my surgeon was how they close the incision and if it is stitched or left to close and I was so happy to hear he stitches all but a very small part to let it drain. I also made sure he was doing my stitches as he does have residents who are always working with him. I am not sure I would have chosen a surgeon who lets the stoma incision heal on it's own as the photos I have seen have not been pretty.

Protect that scar when in the sun so it stays looking good.

My surgeon did an awsome job on my stoma site too. It was sutured closed and I just have a thin line as well. I still don't get why some surgeons leave their patient's stoma openings open to heal.

My surgeon left the stoma opening to heal on its own and now it looks very ugly and that part of the belly is indented(that is the worst part,while the scar is not a big issue). I think they leave it open because of the risk of infection-I also had a small drain for 10 days in the stoma site.Also my vertical scar was sewn up in an ugly way,so the belly doesnt look very appealing. Will this always stay indented like this???That is the outside,while inside he did a perfect job,as I can hardly feel the digestion system working,everything is perfect.Re scars I dont mind,the most important thing is that summer is coming and I can hide this with one peace swimsuit.

Amen to the one piece suit, Panda! Even though my scars are minimal, my belly is far from where it was pre-surgery. It kind of buldges out on the left side. Oh well, atleast I'm not sick anymore and I can enjoy my summer!

Wow, that is really a beautiful scar.

When I see such a nice scar, I think that the surgeon who operated me, is an idiot. He has not sewn the hole where my ostomy has been. Consequently the hole had to heal within five months. Now the right side of my belly looks like two hills which are separated by the scar of the former ostomy hole.

A nice belly is very important for the self-esteem. Therefore I am mad at the surgeon who operated me.

Best Regards
Martin

Very jealous of your scar! My stoma scar is hideous...it was left open to heal. I'm going to do a scar revision some day after my body returns to it's normal shape (pregnant right now). I wish my surgeon would have sewn mine shut...packing that wound for weeks was not a pleasant experience.

Jealous as well..

Mine reopened today due to a hemotoma that built up after a stitch came up to the surface and got infected

Oh well, could be so much worse you know. Will repack and re-heal it again.

Very happy for you though


Derek

Wow that's amazing! My surgeon stitched mine as well, but it only looks as good as yours and I'm 6 months post takedown. I develop ketoids though so I knew I'd have some problems.

Wow congrats...my scar...not so good. Plus I have 2 obstruction scars. The last one I had the surgeon really cleaned up the first scar, it's way better then it was, but still pretty Frankenstein-ish... :-)

I have scar envy, congratulations!

My surgeon also did the open healing of the stoma scar plus from the abcess removal that was cut out from under my 1st surgery's scar. It got infected under the stitches. So I had a big hole under my belly button after the takedown, made the stoma hole look tiny. Now it looks like I have 2 belly buttons and my right stoma side, sticks out more than the left.

They said they were "dirty" wounds so had to heal from the inside out. Packing them 3 times a day was almost as bad as changing that bag! My husband took a picture of it and measured it, I won't be posting the pic but after the surgery the hole was 2" deep, over 1" wide and over 2" long.

Frankenstein-ish is a good term Cataya. I'm alive so will just have to live with my battle scars.