What is Reddit's opinion of
CicaTape Soft Silicone Tape (1.57in x 59in)?
From 3.5 billion Reddit comments
22 reviews of this product found across Reddit:
NO! dermarolling should not be used on raised scars! If you decide to attempt anyway, try it out in just a single scar or two, but all dire warnings against dermarolling on raised or "Kelloid scars"- which can make them worse!
For raised scars, use silicone scar tape, which is what it's made for! I recommend buying the tape instead of the bandages, it sticks better and is far cheaper! Also, when you remove the tape strips, lay them out on clean plastic baggies, and you can then reuse the same tape a number of times before the adhesive starts to go, and no longer sticks very well.
DO NOT use the 3M "kind" tape unless you have no other choice. It doesn't stick as well, and if you attempt to wear overnight, it will just fall off. I recommend trying this one, $16 on Amazon for about 6 feet of tape, should be more than enough to cover both arms. https://www.amazon.com/CicaTape-Soft-Silicone-Tape-1-57in/dp/B076FHBDDD/ref=sr_1_6_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1520719565&sr=8-6&keywords=silicone+medical+tape
Oh to explain further why you should not dermaroll raised scars. When scar tissue is raised, it means the skin there has already been thickened due to wounding. So dermarolling will only further wound, and thicken the skin even more, making the scar more prominent. I
Dermarolling is only effective on scars that are indented, because wounds the indented skin, to thicken and and raise it back to the level of the surrounding skin. This is why you should not dermaroll raised scars.
Oh, and to make the silicon tape last longer, shave your arms first. The adhesive on the tape isn't that strong, and probably wouldn't pull out much arm hair, if any, but you want to lay the tape on very clean skin with as little "stickies" as possible, to make the adhesive work better and last longer. Seriously, safest, most effective method.
——————
some items that were helpful: - wedge pillow (or lots of regular pillows) so you can sleep propped up
loose, comfortable clothing (i wore button up shirts and sweatpants, but anything works as long as you don’t have to lift your arms up to put on the clothes)
extra strength tylenol (i switched to these after the first couple days of heavy painkillers, ask your surgeon what they recommend)
body wipes and dry shampoo helped me feel cleaner for the first week when I couldn’t shower
—————— I was able to shower on my own at 1 week post op
—————— sleeping on my back was hard at first but I got used to it, it helped that I was so tired and sleepy from the surgery and pain meds lol my only advice is to get yourself lots of pillows and be as comfortable as you can so it’s easier to fall asleep
—————— I had to wear bandages for compression the first month, this really just depends on what your surgeon tells you to so
—————— this was my first ever surgery and first time experiencing anesthesia, and I was super worried too but it was perfectly fine! I didn’t even realize I was being put to sleep and it felt like one minute I was in the OR, the next moment I was waking up in the recovery room.
I use Cica tape that I bought on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/CicaTape-Soft-Silicone-Tape-1-57in/dp/B076FHBDDD/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=cicatape&qid=1555025880&s=gateway&sr=8-3
It's a really good bang for your buck compared to the stuff you get at the drug store. I think the adhesive lasts a lot longer too. I also have not exposed my chest to the sun a single time since getting surgery
I wore the tape 24/7 for like six or seven months, only taking it off to shower really. After that I started getting lazy with it admittedly and would go several days at a time without wearing it. Now I'm not wearing it at all since I'm satisfied with how much they've faded.
Be careful with wearing scar tape constantly because I know for some people can get rashes
Congrats! Such an exciting feeling. My surgeon’s office recommended Cica Tape Amazon Link. I have been using it a week and a half, no issues or complaints but nothing to compare it to. Easy to apply/wash/reuse and trim to needed size.
I bought a 3 pack of this cicatape, basically like this: https://www.amazon.com/CicaTape-Soft-Silicone-Tape-1-57in/dp/B076FHBDDD/ref=mp_s_a_1_10?dchild=1&keywords=scar+tape&qid=1615914203&sr=8-10
They're perforated in 2-inch segments but you can make it as long as you want basically. I cut mine in half and they're the perfect width for my scars
Nurse here! I was also have bad reactions and rashes due to reusing my N95. I invested in the envo mask and it’s a game changer. The gel padding is soft and you have the ability to clean the entire mask.
If you’re hospital doesn’t allow the envo mask. I was wearing silicone medical tape around the border of the mask. Helped with the rash and It didn’t seem to break the seal. This is the brand I used CicaTape Soft Silicone Tape (1.57in x 59in) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076FHBDDD/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_I8EcGb8PZF4E5?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1
Well I think eating clean helps a lot and drinking a ton of water- I’m vegan so that’s been a pretty good aid. Let’s see well I didn’t do a whole lot for the first month and started exercising again the second month but really I don’t do a whole lot of movement and I still do not raise my arms above my head unless I have to. But for actual scar care I wear the CicaTape silicone tape everyday basically all day and at night I just started using Mederma PM. Also at night I make sure to massage those bad boys at least three minutes each side I like to go longer but I’m lazy most nights. If you’re in the position where you can take it pretty easy I think it will do you good. Healthy diet everyone can do and I encourage that as well! Hope this helped- let me know if you got any more questions!
I'm 6 weeks post op and I'm almost certain I'm stretching mine in my sleep, because I'm waking up with my incision hurting.
Cica Tape has been working well for me so far, and I haven't noticed any further stretching, though it hasn't been too long since I started using them.
You'll have to wait for the glue and stuff to fall off. I ended up being bad and peeling mine off because I did notice it was just hanging on to dry skin and stuff, not even the incision anymore. Obviously don't peel it if it's still covering your incision, but you might be able to get away with it. Do so at your own risk.
I'm 6 weeks post op, but I already noticed a slight bit of stretching despite doing by absolute best to avoid it during the day.
I realized it was stretching at night.
I really enjoy this stuff so far.
As I understand it, gels and creams are intended to reduce redness and swelling, but won't help prevent stretching.
So my process right now is use the tape until it starts to fall off (I shower in it), then remove it and use a moisturizer for 24 hours, then the tape goes back on.
I haven't used strips yet myself, but from my research I read quite often that ScarAway just doesn't stick very well.
I had seen better reviews of this. It's being delivered today, but I still have to wait a few days for the last of my scabs to drop off. If you remind me in about a week, I can let you know how well it sticks.
I also saw some people use liquid bandaid to stick the edges down. Seems like a waste of my time, tbh, but maybe that would work for you.
My surgeon recommended silicone tape, both for the scars and also to protect my incredibly tender incisions. He said not to get anything special, “just$10 on Amazon”. I didn’t find any that cheap, but I got this one for $18: CicaTape Soft Silicone Tape https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076FHBDDD?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
I always feel sad reading posts like the second slide I've attached here, but I also wanted to pop in and say those of you feeling upset that top surgery scars are becoming more recognizable are not alone. I have felt this way for a very long time, even before getting top surgery over 3 years ago. Something I really set my sights on was fading my scars as much as humanly possible, and I think I've done a pretty good job, so here are some pointers. Please keep in mind that skin tone, scar-healing genetics, etc... can all play a factor as well, so results may vary.
- I literally did not expose my scars to the sun for past 3 years. Not even once, I have never gone shirtless outdoors. I wore t-shirts only for the first year, and after that I slowly started wearing tank tops more often in the summer on days that were really hot. Since around 2-2.5 years post op I wear tank tops/lax pinnies pretty much everyday. I would probably take my shirt off outdoors now without worrying, but honestly I only would if I needed to change shirts real quick or if it was literally like 105 degrees. This is pretty extreme, but if you are very serious about having your scars fade as much as possible, this is my best advice.
- Once I was around 6 weeks post op (I think?) I started using these silicone scar strips from amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076FHBDDD/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 I would wear them pretty much all day everyday for 6 months-1 year post op. I might have missed some days here and there, though. Also for anyone with a similar skin tone to me, I liked these a lot because they helped to blend in my scars with my skin tone which made me feel very confident just looking in the mirror. If you have a similar skin tone to me you could honestly wear these over your scars to hide them while shirtless and nobody would notice unless they looked closely enough.
- I would ocassionally massage my scars with lotion or even while I was just laying down before bed, I don't know if that helped but I have heard people reccomend that before
My goal with this post is to give some of you guys a little hope, I know how you all feel because I've been pretty disgusted with these various "guides" to identify trans people (always seemingly created by 'woke' cis people, who are actually just transphobic for helping out stealth/binary trans people). Just remember it is completely valid to want to be cis-passing and not feel proud of having scars. I'm proud of myself for taking the steps necesesary to be my authentic self, but that doesn't change the fact that I hate being reminded that I'm trans when I do everything I can to just live my life as any other cis male would. I know many of you feel the same way and I 'm here for you :-)
These scar strips have been working the best out of all the other things I’ve used on my scars, and I’ve tried a lot of different things. Maybe check it out
https://www.amazon.com/CicaTape-Soft-Silicone-Tape-1-57in/dp/B076FHBDDD best quality for lowest price. Strips last for a few weeks
I wouldn't put silicone tape on the part of your incision that's bleeding, you don't want to irritate it or cause the wound to get bigger. What I did was cover the more healed parts of the incision with silicone tape, and put neosporin and band aids on the bleeding part.
I've only used silicone tape, not gel - here's the one I use and am happy with: https://www.amazon.com/CicaTape-Soft-Silicone-Tape-1-57in/dp/B076FHBDDD/ I like this one because it comes in a roll that's precut into perforated squares, and you can tear off the lengths you want. People also use Mepitac, ScarAway, or other brands (you can also find a generic version of ScarAway at a walgreens or cvs and it'll be cheaper than the brand name)
My routine with silicone tape for the first couple months was to wear it 24/7 except when I showered. I use the same tape for a couple days but you can throw it away and switch to fresh tape whenever you want to - I find that it gets less sticky after maybe 5-7 days of use and that's when I usually switch. Before I shower, I take off the tape and rinse it (you can gently use some soap too, I did for the first week or two of use when pulling off the tape also took off glue or other stuff), lay it out to dry with the adhesive side down on a clean surface (plastic wrap or a ziploc bag usually) while I shower, and put it back on when I'm getting dressed. I personally wouldn't change them daily just because scar tape can be costly, so I'd recommend reusing them for whatever amount of time is comfortable for you.
I wore it 24/7 until about 3 months post-op, and now I usually wear them during the day because I want to have some protection on the scars so they don't get stretched out too much while I'm going about my day. I usually take them off at night before I sleep now to let the scars breathe, and do scar massage before bed.
Try covering the area with medical grade silicon strips. These are the ones I use: CicaTape Soft Silicone Tape... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076FHBDDD?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
Thanks. I used silicone scar tape for the first 6 months. I probably should have done it longer but I got lazy.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076FHBDDD?psc=1&ref=ppx\_yo2\_dt\_b\_product\_details
Bio oil massages and this
CicaTape Soft Silicone Tape (1.57in x 59in) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076FHBDDD/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_3jf6FbPCR2EK3
Hi, everyone. Thanks for taking the time to read this!
I got double incision last year, within a few days of this post. I went to Dr. Peter Raphael in Plano, TX. The total cost for the surgery was $6,750. I stayed at a local extended-stay hotel for three nights (arrival date, pre-op date, surgery date), then moved to a family friend’s house nearby for an additional week of recovery. After that, I went back to Dallas to have my reveal and flew out of the state the next day.
The experience with Dr. Raphael was affirming, professional, and something that I won’t ever forget. His staff is very friendly and, based on my experience, does an excellent job of respecting each client and their identity.
As far as recovery went in the immediate post-op range from surgery to reveal, I don’t remember much of it. I took all of my pain medicine and slept a lot. I had strong day-to-day memory during that time but now, looking back, I don’t remember a lot of specifics of that initial week. I attribute this to all of the medication.
The last bit of scabbing fell off my nipples about six weeks ago after swimming for the first time in a chlorine pool. Until that point, I never went out without a t-shirt on (unless the sun had gone down). I am very happy with how my scars have healed in this past year. I have worn scar tape almost every day since the initial surgical tape fell off. There were maybe six weeks maximum in total that I didn’t have scar tape on. I have tried almost every widely recommended scar tape on the market and can say, hands down, this is the best one I have tried: (https://www.amazon.com/CicaTape-Soft-Silicone-Tape-1-57in/dp/B076FHBDDD) It is the stickiest tape, and one strip would stay on at least a week, even if I was showering regularly. It also reduced a lot of redness in my scars.
My two best pieces of advice for recovery are:
​
- Take it easy! Really easy. I did not start lifting weights until about two months ago (ten months post-op) and I was able to confidently go back into the gym without any fear of my scars stretching because they had already fully healed. You only get to heal from top surgery once, but you will always have the opportunity to begin or return to lifting weights post-op. You can think of giving yourself the time that your body needs to fully heal as an investment in good results.
- Affirm your healing. A few weeks before my surgery, I had some anxiety creep in about how I was going to look after such a big procedure. I felt like I had read every surgery story on this feed and had seen a lot of different opinions on the best way to recover and what to expect for your surgery results. All throughout the lead up to my surgery and throughout the past year, I have affirmed that 1. I have amazing results and 2. my body heals easily and quickly. Take it or don’t, but I personally believe that our bodies are always listening to what we have to say and what we think. It is no use of time to speak negatively on your surgery results and then expect something different.
This has been a life changing year! I have gratitude every day for the fact that I have gotten this surgery. I can vividly remember how difficult it felt sometimes to get through a day when I was pre-op. If you’re in that situation, please remember that your time is coming and that you are powerful beyond measure to change your circumstances. Blessings to all of you.
My doctor just recommended silicone tape and I got this off of amazon.
CicaTape Soft Silicone Tape (1.57in x 59in) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076FHBDDD/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_05s8EbSRAEYST
Popular alternatives to CicaTape Soft Silicone Tape...
