Love Your Scars

Dear Purple Butterflies, 
Are you like me and have had multiple health tests, surgeries, or hospital stays?  As a parting gift from those visits, you are left with scars. Did you ever conflict self-harm upon yourself and know you want to cover it up? Are your clothes able to hide your scars? Have you ever wondered what you could do about all of this? Ever since my teenage years I have been poked, prodded, and had more hospital visits than I care to remember. However, I never had any scars because of them until recently. After last surgery, my doctor advised me about one idea. Most recently it was my husband who found an interesting link for me to check out. 
 
Consider cocoa butter or shea butter: Do you regularly apply lotion to your skin? I love buying lotion from Bath and Body Works! I feel just like a kid in a candy store again walking into their store. I want one of just about everything. Sadly, I could not find a product on their site that had pure cocoa. The lotion was always mixed with something else, and I am hesitant to try it. I am a pale skinned female so naturally any dark marks or scars on my body are going to show up quite well. During my two-week post op examination, my surgeon recommended cocoa butter. While doing some investigating on my end, I found all kinds of different opinions from sites. Benefits of Cocoa Butter on Scarring was one site that I stumbled upon; As well as from the Vaseline website I also found Cocoa Butter and Shea Butter Benefits: Facts and Uses. You get lots of helpful tips from both sites. I found a Vaseline Intensive Care Cocoa Glow Body Lotion With Pure Cocoa Butter on Amazon.  It has pure cocoa butter in the ingredients.  
 
Get a tattoo to cover it up? 
Since I can’t see your reaction to this idea, I can only bet I am getting a lot of mixed reactions. My first reaction to this was “Cool!”  Ever since my first tattoo back in 2004, I have been playing with the idea of getting another one. My Fibromyalgia worsening has put “a hitch in my giddy up,” for me to move ahead with my plans. My creative side can’t seem to stop looking at cool designs wondering if I should grin and bear it. I’ve spoken to other Fibro warriors who have given me food for thought on their experiences. Knowing that they were able to do it has helped some. What about covering your scars with one? My hubby was perusing Facebook one day and came across 34 Scar-Covering Tattoos With Amazing Stories Behind Them. What a neat idea to love your scars! Inside this amazing post, you’ll find all kinds of ways people have coped, accepted, then finally got imaginative with their scars. I adore image #3 One Word Next To A Spinal Surgery Scar. It says “Strength.” It embodies what purple butterflies go through every day. If I were to get one, I would consider this one.  The reality soon hit me of where my scars are. They are on my tummy and lower back. For me, these are not areas I wish to have a tattoo. Before you get a tattoo, please give these a glance Body Art: What You Need to Know before Getting a Tattoo or Piercingand Tattoos: Understand risks and precautions. I don’t want to discourage you, but also want to help you be safe. For some of you, the scars you have are reminders of your life being saved. The time has come to treasure them. 
 
Even though I won’t be getting an illustration over one of my scars, I promise to show and share my tale when and if I do get another tattoo. Did you ever cover a scar with a tattoo? What does it look like? Please share your design and experience in the comment section. Thank you so much for reading my blog today. Do you want to keep abreast of my latest posts? Why not subscribe to my website? Tell your friends! Tell your friends to tell their friends! 
 
Till next time!
Be well
 
~ Rachel