Hi,
Has anyone tried bio-oil? And if so, at what point is it OK to use on the wound?
Also, is it true that it’s best not to allow a new scar to be exposed to the sun for a year? I’ve heard it will make it darker and more obvious in the long term.
Hope you can help!
Trace
x
I have used bio-oil for a long time as my normal skin care, as it evens out skin tone ,goes a long …seemed to keep my scars supple. is good for liver spots. its main ingredients oil vit. A and E.Holland and barrett have a cheaper version don’t think that has vit A in it but its not bad. New scars are supposedly more sensitive so i think a high sun factor sun cream advisable, though I cant see myself going topless even though the reconsruction is very good.
marnie
I was advised not to expose my scar to the sun mainly because I’ve had rads. This apparently makes the area more sensitive to sunlight in that you can burn more easily. Having siad that I’ve jsut had 10 days in Spain, just about lived in my bikini and subathed with no problems. I staretd off with factor 30 then dropped down to factor 12. I finished rads at the end of Feb… I had a good time, got a nice tan and no problems with the scar.
Geraldine
Thanks for the advice Geraldine and Marnie.
I’m going to get some bio-oil soon and give it a try when my wound has healed a little more. I had a lumpectomy a week past friday so it still looks a bit ‘new’ to put anything on it, though I must say washing and showering has been no problem since the dressings came off. Luckily for me, I was given the all clear on Friday there, at this stage everything is benign, so no rads or recon for me, for which I am very glad, yet sorry you two have had to go through it. I have always braved going topless and have told myself I’ll not let this little 1 and a half inch line stop me when I go away for a week in October, especially when I’ve been lucky enough not to need any more treatment.
I have had acne since I was 10 and I’m covered in very noticable scarring on upper body, both back and front, so maybe the bio-oil will help with that too. It sounds like it has worked very well for you Marnie.
As for tanning the scar, I think I might just stick some surgical tape or similar over it until next year, by which time the scar shoud be more mature (wish I could say the same for me!)
Geraldine, it sounds like your hol was perfectly timed and just what you needed!
Thanks again!
Trace
x
Hi,
Just to say Bio oil is great, buy mine off internet cheaper and delivered sometimes free.
Treakle xx
Yep, I’m a Bio-oil lover as well.
Linda
Bio oil is also great for the face when it is a bit dehydrated from the chemo
Sharon x
Thanks! I got a large bottle on offer in Boots.
I’ve been using it on my 2 week old wound/scar since Monday and the healing and appearance is amazing! I can barely see it! Now to tackle the stretch marks!
Trace
x
I’m sorry to dampen your Bio-oil enthusiasm and was thinking of buying some after your glowing testimonials, BUT - contrary to what the produces say, it does contain preservatives, so their promo is a lie and one of them BHT is implicated in carcinogenicity: i.e. contributes to cancer. Please check out the following link for details and when there’s something you don’t KNOW is safe in a product ingredients list, check the ingredient out and err on the side of caution.
chemistry.about.com/library/weekly/aa082101a.htm
There are thousands of products with excellent natural ingredients in them, polluted by phenols and other cancer promoting synthetic chemicals, as bad as and worse than Bio-oil and sold be reputable high-street stores. I sometimes think if you removed the toxins from the shelves, there’d be precious few products left to choose from but at least they couldn’t harm us.
The US FDA is notorious for its sympathy with chemical manufacturers and lack of concern for consumers, so you can also take their approval/disappoval with a large pinch of salt!
Wishing you well, and very disappointed that the great Bio-Oil is not going to tackle my scars and wrinkles!
Jenny
You’ll be glad to know I’m not going to go thru all Bio-oil’s ingredients, but here’s another dangerous one: Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde. This is a contact allergen: i.e. in 2-3 per cent of the population there will be an allergic reaction to this ingredient. AND it is known to elicit and induce allergies to itself and many other chemicals found in perfumes and cosmetics in people formerly not allergic to any of them.
You can read about it in a rather technical appraisal of its effects here: ec.europa.eu/health/ph_risk/committees/sccp/documents/out249_en.pdf which is the OPINION OF THE SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE ON COSMETIC PRODUCTS AND NON-FOOD PRODUCTS INTENDED FOR CONSUMERS
CONCERNING HYDROXYISOHEXYL 3-CYCLOHEXENE CARBOXALDEHYDE and adopted by a committee of eminent scientists as long ago as 2003. They point out that the cosmetics and perfume industries have a voluntary limit on the quantity of this ingredient in a product which is up to 1000 times higher than its safe limit for consumers.
So not only may you be allergic to this but if not, you may become allergic to a whole range of ingredients in a huge range of products by using something on your skin which contains this ingredient. It is most likely contributing to the worldwide increase in eczema. I’d rather have skin blemishes and live with scars than develop multiple allergies and/or eczema.
So, WHY, you may join me in asking, IS THIS GUNK STILL ON THE MARKET??
I don’t know about the success of political actions of boycotting products from specific countries but I do know that successful consumer boycots get products withdrawn from the market and encourage manufacturers to pay attention to consumer health. As I don’t buy Bio-Oil anyway, I can hardly boycott it, but I know at least 6 women who can…
Yes, I agree with the feminists of the 1970’s - The Personal IS Political - Consumer power works.
Wishing you well,
Jenny
Hi Jenny,
Thanks for that. I’m going to keep going with the bio-oil and see how it goes. I already have multiple food and contact allergies so I was quite amazed at having no reaction to it so far. There was a time when I wondered how on earth I could function at all, avoiding so many things, but over time I have learned what my mild and severe allergies are, along with their accompanying reactions. I have my next appointment at the dermo clinic next week so I might take it along and see what they think. I’ll let you know the verdict if I remember to ask about it, my short term memory seems to have had a jolt from the anesthetic!
Trace
x
Relieved to hear that your known allergies don’t flare up with this. The trouble is that low levels of the chemicals contained provoke contact allergens to OTHER chemicals, so maybe that’s where your contact allergens came from in the first place. Apparently 48% of all nice smelly stuff we put on our skin contains this! So I as DON’T have any contact allergies, I’m going to try to stay that way and live with the wrinkles… Thanks for the info Trace and hope you can go on enjoying the benefits.
I suppose if the allergen generating reaction has already occurred, continued exposure may not cause more problems, but the carcinogenicity of BHT would I imagine have a cumulative effect.
When I know what and where the risky products are and can avoid adding them to my body’s burden of cancer causing man-made pollutants, I prefer to safeguard my DNA and let my liver get on with the job of fighting my cancer. I’d feel odd about deliberately adding more challenges to my system, however well I’m feeling and now I’m over the latest RT I feel great!
Wishing you well,
Jenny x
Great to hear you’re doing well Jenny, long may it continue for you!
It’s such a crazy chemical world that we live in, who knows what kicks off allergies and why everyone reacts to things so differently. It always has to be so complicated doesn’t it! My skin has got in such a mess over the years from it all that I tend to be quite gung-ho (spelling?) with things I haven’t tried before, thinking “oh well, it can’t make it much worse!” The latest reaction I had was to lentils, peas, seeds, pulses etc. So random, and very messy indeed!
I’m inspired by your commitment to finding out what’s in everything in order to give your body the very best. So far still no reaction to the bio-oil luckily, however I am a bit annoyed with it as I dropped it this morning. It splashed up the wall and I can’t get the greasy mark off! Maybe it’s an omen!
Look after yourself,
Trace
x
We deserve the very best Trace, that’s why it’s such a con that even the ery best companies trying to bring us the very best and healthy products are sold on those extra little ingredients to prolong their products’ shelf lives to make them commercial that render their great healthy products toxic!
Interestingly, I bought some thyme-based herbal shampoo earlier this year - a fairly small bottle, and a French lable I think, which after around 3 months started to ferment! I live alone so I guess it wasn’t used up fast enough. I was fed up because it’s expensive and was blaming the manufacturer for some defect in the product, until the penny dropped… NO artificial gunk in this one! So I’m buying another bottle of it and will keep it in the fridge so it lasts a bit longer after opening. (I live in a hot climate).
So my anwer for the time being is to buy natural skin products from a healthfood outlet, reading the small print carefully and putting back on the shelf anything suspect, in small quantities. BTW, flaxseed oil, whether mixed with a little sweet almond oil, is a great foot massage. Again, keep both in the fridge - keeps them dark and cool and not oxidised into something less healthy. It’s surprising how much we absorb through the skin. I mix a little of the 2 together and add a drop of lavender essence, but you could add just a drop of your favourite essence. Essential oils are also very challenging for our livers so use in infinitesimal amounts - a little goes a long way.
Wising you well,
Jenny x
p.s. recently had to give in an buy some reading glasses for the small print - Have you noticed makers don’t WANT us to see what’s on the label so they will print the ingredients on the deepest colours to make them even more obscure.
Hi Chicks,
Dont know if any of you kno, but t least up ere in Scotland your GP can give you a prescription (125ml btl = £19.95), so if you have a prepayment voucher this is fab!
My mum’s doctor has been brill and she gets a btl a fortnight, if she needs more we have to let him know, so that in its self pays for yor prepayment voucher, if you need any oher meds over your course!
Hope this helps … P.S. this doesn’t show on the auto script for yoour GP though your pharamcist can comfirm if required can be prescribed … so enjoy!!
Much Love,
Tizzy xxx
Tizzy,
Do you mean of bio-oil?
Tx
Hi I have been using cocanut oil healing nicely cocanut oil is vey good all round for over 101 things fry bake use it for exema sores chickenbox cuts I get mine from dolphin fitness and holland Barrett when they have the 1p sale on
Hi
I’m new to posting on the forum - am going to post shortly about my nightmare of a meeting with oncologist - but saw this thread and thought I’d share my approach… I had a wide excision - removed nipple/ areola as lump directly behind - and removal of 34 nodes, on 24/09 and then, as they didn’t get a clear margin, a 2nd op on 13/10. I have quite long scars on my breast and underarm, and the former has been opened twice and the latter keeps getting attacked for fluid to be drained 
I’ve mixed up 2 oils to rub into my scars - 1 is a mix of rosehip seed oil and jojoba oil, with mandarin and helichrysum essential oils added and the 2nd is a mix of neem oil, argan oil and a little rosehip seed oil with frankincense and helichrysum essential oils added.
No parabens/ preservatives/ yeuchy additives, just organic or high quality oils. All seems to be going well after the first few days - I’ll keep you updated though