The scar on the face after skin cancer surgery

Cancer Research UK says the size and shape of the scar depend on how big the cancer was and whether a graft or flap was needed, that scars are quite noticeable and red to start with but get paler and less noticeable over time, and that some can be thick and raised. The NHS says most scars fade without treatment but that this can take up to two years or more, and lists what helps: massaging the healed scar with a water-based cream a few times a day for up to ten minutes, keeping it covered in the sun for at least a year, and using SPF 30 or more on it. A pharmacist can supply silicone dressings or gels. For a scar that is more severe, a GP can refer for silicone dressings, steroid injections or cream, cryotherapy, laser treatment or camouflage.

Skin camouflage is the part that is routinely missed. The NHS says these are creams and powders applied to make a scar less noticeable, that a GP can refer you or you can refer yourself online, that a trained professional colour-matches them to your skin, and that they can be prescribed or bought. It links to Changing Faces, the UK charity for people with a visible difference. The NHS also says a GP can refer you for talking therapy if a scar is affecting your mental health, which is the sentence most people never read.