What can be done for my daughter's face?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Medicaid should pay for a plastic surgeon if it is medically necessary -- and most likely she has a managed care plan (because Medicaid mostly contracts with managed care plans these days). She may or may not need a referral from her primary care doc, but you can find that out from the plan, and you can look up who is in network on the plan website. If you can't get an appointment with an in-network plastic surgeon, that might be the point to look for someone who would see her for a negotiated fee.

Good luck and I hope she is doing better.

It is not medically necessary - scars are cosmetic.

Only reconstructive is medically necessary aka the time a plastic surgeon I know put a guy's face back on. He fell over the handle bars of a bike and his face literally came off.

Nice. Thanks so much for sharing that with us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t have the money now.

The driver’s insurance should be paying for this. Your reluctance to follow normal procedures and have the boyfriend‘a insurance pay might result in permanent facial scarring for your daughter. You need to do your job as mom here and make a plastic surgeon consult happen while making insurance claims.

OP did you listen to this and the other PPs? You don't need money to make these appointments. They will be covered by the boyfriend's insurance. Were you able to make appointments with a plastic surgeon?

[Anonymous]

My daughter had a huge gash on her chin that required several stitches and this is what we did after the stitches came out:

Rotate between mederma (the one WITH the spf), vitamin E capsules (pierced so the gel comes out) and Retin-A (I had a prescription for myself), applied twice a day (in morning and at night). You can do one day one of the 3 twice that day, next day the second thing twice a day, day three the third thing twice a day, repeat. Or you can do item 1 in morning, item 2 at night, item 3 next morning ,item 1 next night, etc.

This regime was recommended to me by the plastic surgeon PA that stitched up her face. Next time something like this happens to you or anyone in your family, you can ask/insist that a plastic surgeon MD or PA do the stitches or glue if one is available. Ask, be insistent, firm and polite. They may push back a bit because they want people in and out of the ER, but be firm. We had to wait an hour for the plastic surgeon MD/PA to be available because they were in surgery and then we were offered only they PA which was fine. She did a great job stitching up my daughter and I asked what to do for wound care and to minimize scarring and that is what she told me.

Also SPF on it every single morning. I did those SPF hard sticks that look like deodorant and I followed the three item regime for almost an entire year. It worked. It's 10 years later and you cannot see a scar.

Good luck.

[Anonymous]

OP I am sorry this happened to your daughter. Regardless of your daughter's insurance status or your personal financial situation, the driver is responsible for your daughter's medical bills. He absolutely should have basically liability car insurance coverage which includes coverage for injuries for everyone in the car (as in your daughter). He does NOT need to be negligent (speeding, texting, etc) to be liable. The mere fact that your daughter was in the car and he was driving makes him 100% liable; that is how the insurance works and what the insurance is for.

So even if your daughter was Elon Musk and had the best health insurance in the world, the boyfriend driver is STILL 100% liable for the health care costs incurred as a result of the injury. Elon gets glass in his face, he goes to the ER, Elon's insurance is going to send him an subrogation form and go after the driver's insurance. It doesn't matter how much money OP has. Driver is always responsible; ALWAYS.

If boyfriend is old enough to be driving a car, he needs to be able to handle all responsibilities of driving. He caused an accident, he cooperates and his insurance pays.

Honestly I would consider consulting with a persona injury lawyer that works on a contingency fee to go to bat for your daughter for the medical bills. I know people make fun of these kind of lawyers but this is an example of when one may be necessary and could really help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Please take her to a plastic surgeon now. I am surprised the ER didn't call one in.

I think they didn't call a plastic surgeon because she didn't need stitches and she has Medicare so I doubt they would pay for one.

You mean Medicaid? We have that and you can get a dermatologist at Medstar quickly. We've seen several. Tell the receptionist that she had an accident and they can probably get her in to see an MD in two days, sometimes even same day. They will probably recommend Cetaphil type products to clean, no makeup (yay masks!) and DO NOT PICK. LOTS of "clean" moisturizer like Cetaphil because when it heals, it dries up and get super itchy.

Later, when everything is healed, there will be pink scars for a bit. Normally glycolic acid products are great at keeping cells turning over, reducing scarring. Ask the dermo for details.

And remind her often how pretty she is. I've worked with some of the most famous models and actresses in the world, and believe me, almost all have scars, often on the face. Clearly it doesn't stop them from being paid $50k/day....

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last week she was in a bad car accident involving a tree. A lot of glass cut her face, and the ER used medical glue, not stiches. She is healing, and I promised her if she doesn't heal I will get her a consult with a plastic surgeon, but so far here is what we are doing:

- more medical glue for the cut at the corner where her lips meet (it falls off)
- she knows to stay out of the sun and not cover up the cuts with makeup until they've healed
- she has Bio Oil for when the cut is closed and scarring

Is there anything else I can get her? A coworker just told me teens are into The Ordinary but I don't know what any of those potions do exactly.

OP, I don’t get this. You keep responding to people telling you to get her a consult NOW that you can’t afford it. What’s going to change later when she has the scarring that’s hard to fix??? This is penny wise pound foolish.

I don’t have the money now.

Then use a credit card.

Or do charity care! Or a payment plan! Time is crucial here!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Last week she was in a bad car accident involving a tree. A lot of glass cut her face, and the ER used medical glue, not stiches. She is healing, and I promised her if she doesn't heal I will get her a consult with a plastic surgeon, but so far here is what we are doing:

- more medical glue for the cut at the corner where her lips meet (it falls off)
- she knows to stay out of the sun and not cover up the cuts with makeup until they've healed
- she has Bio Oil for when the cut is closed and scarring

Is there anything else I can get her? A coworker just told me teens are into The Ordinary but I don't know what any of those potions do exactly.

Chris Chang MD—A plastic surgeon with Bethesda and Fairfax offices who focuses on facial procedures and spent probably 10 years doing facial trauma reconstruction before starting his private practice. He is incredible!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Last week she was in a bad car accident involving a tree. A lot of glass cut her face, and the ER used medical glue, not stiches. She is healing, and I promised her if she doesn't heal I will get her a consult with a plastic surgeon, but so far here is what we are doing:

- more medical glue for the cut at the corner where her lips meet (it falls off)
- she knows to stay out of the sun and not cover up the cuts with makeup until they've healed
- she has Bio Oil for when the cut is closed and scarring

Is there anything else I can get her? A coworker just told me teens are into The Ordinary but I don't know what any of those potions do exactly.

OP, I don’t get this. You keep responding to people telling you to get her a consult NOW that you can’t afford it. What’s going to change later when she has the scarring that’s hard to fix??? This is penny wise pound foolish.

I don’t have the money now.

Then use a credit card.

Or do charity care! Or a payment plan! Time is crucial here!

Yes, this. Book appointment say your cash pay. When you see doc, at beginning explain you need payment plan for consult. doc might tell you he or she waives fee

[Anonymous]

Or, just ask for free initial consult. plastic surgery consult. at appointment, ask how to care for wound. you need to go like tomorrow. say it's emergency

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please take her to a plastic surgeon now. I am surprised the ER didn't call one in.

Agree. Why are you waiting???

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t have the money now.

The driver’s insurance should be paying for this. Your reluctance to follow normal procedures and have the boyfriend‘a insurance pay might result in permanent facial scarring for your daughter. You need to do your job as mom here and make a plastic surgeon consult happen while making insurance claims.

OP did you listen to this and the other PPs? You don't need money to make these appointments. They will be covered by the boyfriend's insurance. Were you able to make appointments with a plastic surgeon?

Exactly. Call and explain that you are worried about scarring on your daughter's face, and that she has Medicaid (I guarantee it's Medicaid, not Medicare!). Many will take Medicaid. If they do not, explain the driver was insured. If you absolutely are completely unwilling to do that, ask about a payment plan.

This absolutely does not have to be put off.