Scar on toddler face? Or will it fade?

[Anonymous]

My toddler had a bad fall face first onto concrete 6 weeks ago. The bleeding stopped pretty quickly and she had a fat lip and some light facial abrasions. The largest abrasion made a scab under her nose, which combined with a cold (runny nose), took longer to heal than the others.

Now that the scab has gone, there's a bright red mark under her nose. Husband reckons this is a permanent feature and thinks it's no big deal. But I feel awful that our two year old already has a facial scar, and wondering whether there's anything I can do to reduce the redness. She's very pale so it's pretty noticeable.

[Anonymous]

Use lots if sunscreen on it and apply vitamin e oil every night before bed.

I am also very pale and at age 3 was attached by a dog, who bit me right on the face. I had to have surgery with like 16 stitches to close the wound. The scar as an adult is a slightly whiter patch of skin about the size of a dime. You’d be amazed how well childhood injuries heal.

[Anonymous]

Apply Mederma daily, and sunscreen. Yes, it will fade.

[Anonymous]

Agree with the above.

Myderma daily.
Sunscreen.

My child had a huge deep. scratch on the face as a toddler. And myderma helped a lot. Toddler skin heals very well. It will totally fade over time.

[Anonymous]

My kid took a header into a table and needed stitches. The scar faded to white after a year or so. Hers will always be visible but yours will probably not be.

As PP said, protect it from sun (which can discolor scars) and use Mederma.

[Anonymous]

Yes it will fade. The angry red lasts awhile but it will fade. Sorry you are going through this.

[Anonymous]

If you use sunscreen religiously this summer it’ll be gone by by next summer. Maybe sooner

[Anonymous]

My 2 year old got stitches on his face after a fall. We did mederma but there's no real evidence it works. The pediatrician emphasized sunscreen and hats. 6.months out it's pretty faded.

[Anonymous]

It will fade back to normal skintone but it can take up to a year so be patient. Sunscreen always.

[Anonymous]

Sunscreen!

[Anonymous]

Depends on depth of scar and individual skin. But my kid is extremely fair and got my very scar-prone skin, and still all her scars have faded away, even a really bad one from a fall off a stool. Agree with suggestions above to speed healing and cut yourself some slack. I’ve been there and it really does get better! Just takes a little time.

[Anonymous]

My 4 year old burnt her face when she was one. It looked horrible!!! The ER doctor glanced at it and said it would be fine. The dermatologist said to be VERY careful to do hats and sunscreen. She said it would probably heal well but, but not, to wait a few years before considering plastic surgery. She said if it healed white or sunken that’s harder to fix, but red or raised could be helped with lasers. I bow almost never can see it (some times there’s a little area that looks slightly red - as if she’s blushing there). If she is aware / self conscious as she gets older I’d help her get treatment but when I tell newer friends about her having burnt her face they’re shocked - it’s really only something you see if you know it’s there.

[Anonymous]

Had a similar situation happen with my 4 yr old granddaughter and she has a small scar under her left nostril that is starting to get smaller in size. I am interested on how your toddler is doing now that it's been almost a year. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

My oldest fell and had a 50 cent piece sized scrape on his head at 18 months or so. You can’t tell it was ever there. We cocoa buttered the hell out of it for a few months.

[Anonymous]

OP here!

It has faded but I can see it faintly if she’s been outside for a while (even with sunscreen on) or if she’s flushed. I think it’s because she’s so pale. Perhaps it wouldn’t show up on other complexions. Who knew an abrasion could take so long to heal!

We applied scar treatment oil for a while afterwards, every evening before bed. But haven’t done that for many months now. I stopped doing it partly because I didn’t want to make a big deal about it. And I’ve been working really hard to not comment on her appearance in positive or negative terms. It turns out that our society starts teaching girls early that their worth is tied to their attractiveness! She’s only 3.5!!