Interview Section : YouthHealthtalk

Interview 26

Age at Interview: 17

Sex: Female

Age at Diagnosis: 14

Background: Studying full time for her A' levels, lives at home with parents; ethnicity, white British. She wants to study Philosophy and then to trained as a primary school teacher. Says that she is proud of her scars.

Brief outline:Diagnosed with malignant melanoma in 2002. Treatment: surgery and radiotherapy to the neck area. She has had further surgeries to removed lumps that have developed later. A course of Interferon in 2004. On treatment.

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Gives advice on how to look after your scars.
Print What would be your advice to regarding scars, physical scars to young people? Scars I think it, obviously it takes time. It's something you should embrace because, and be proud of, because it is part of who you are now. And it's, it shows how far you've come. I think it's very important to look after your scars when they're new obviously you should clean them lots with salt water. And have people keep an eye on them so they don't get infected. But also moisturising's brilliant, just simple E45 cream works wonders and also you can go to a health food shop or a chemist and say, “Look I've got some scars what can you suggest?” I found a, a brilliant oil that I use on my scars that really reduced them I think. Which oil? It's called Bio Oil it's about £10 for a little bottle, can't even say it, £10 for a little bottle and it's, it's just some oil that you kind of massage in. You only need a little drop so the bottle lasts quite a while. Where did you find that? At a health food shop. Ah, ok, and it's called Bio Oil? Bio Oil, and that I found phenomenal. I mean I've been using it since New Year's when I remember to about twice a day just rubbing it in and you know there's a, I can see a big reduction in the visibility of it. But it's also a good routine to get into because if you're aware of your scars then your body, you can report changes instantly.

full list of topics

Discovery :

Hospitals, doctors and treatments :

Side-effects, feelings and coping strategies :

Self-image and fertility :

Living with it :

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