Is it normall getting scars where the infusion/cannula was? How can this be prevented and and how can i remove the scars that I have got from it?

Im a T1D, and im using an insulin pump (Accu-check Spirit Combo). I have been on the pump for a couple of weeks now, and seem to like it, however I am very stressed over the scarring marks I have found after removing my cannula. When i remove the cannula, i find there is a tiny little red bump, which normally settles down in a couple of days. I keep putting good branded creams and oils to mositrize it well, but still finds im have scars which i really really hate! I am changing my cannula sites well and find it is pain-free and pretty normal in other aspects. The cannula i am using is the Accu-check Flex Link 8mm.

Accu-check Combo = http://www.accu-chek.co.uk/gb/products/insulinpumps/combo.html

Accu-check Flex Link = http://www.accu-chek.co.uk/gb/products/infusionsets/flexlink.html

Hope you guys can help! ;)

Are the red bumps what you don’t like or are those bumps turning into permanent scars? Sorry, but I’m a bit confused on that point.
You shouldn’t be getting scars (this is different from subcutaneous scar tissue) from your infusion set. I personally know nothing about that pump you are using so I can’t say anything specific to it. If you are using creams you should be using the ones that a)help heal wounds (just after you take the cannula out, and b)help reduce/eliminate scars (after it has healed).
I don’t think moisturizing creams would help with anything other than dry skin.

Btw, by scars I mean scars as in “hey look at this scar I have from when that guy stabbed me in the belly.” Tiny, little marks that are barely noticeable are pretty common, though I think those should be pretty easy to handle with the above mentioned creams. Just looking at my usual sites though I have to look very closely to find those marks as they’re nearly invisible.

If it’s a very small red bump right around the puncture and it has very little inflammation or redness and heals in a day or two, that is a fairly normal reaction to having a cannula and insulin dripping under the skin. If the bump looks large, quite red, swollen, hot to touch, it could be an infection.

Depending on how you scar in response to other types of cuts, you may be able to see a polka dot for a while, but those should more or less go away. Especially if you 1) don’t wear the infusion set for too long and 2) really rotate those sites.

And I do mean rotate! It’s common for a newbie to find 5 or so inches of real estate and put all the sets there. But rotating to different parts of your body (some will absorb better than others, so it’s trial-and-error) like hips, back of arms, up and down torso, will help you better benefit from infusion sets in the years to come.

If you are having lots of itching, check out some of this advice about using prep/adhesive products

Best wishes!

Thank you for replying - Nahh the red bumps are ok, they go down after a few days. the red bumps are normal right? well after taking the cannula out i get a little tiny spot of blood, which ithen is staing as a small mark, which i consider to look like a scar, which hasnt disapered. The products i used, are healing serums, and body oils which are good for stretch marks but also good to keep skin supple and has essential oils, (however i dont only put this on the site but used it all over. I am a beauty therapist, thats why i use these products. I just hate any pigmentation on the skin, wether it is small, light coloured or big and noticable. This is the only problem. ;(

Thank you for replying. - It is a very small bump which is red and isnt too sore, or itchy and do not feel hot. I wear mt cannula for 3 days, as the manufacters say, however would it be better for me to change it every 2days to stop the small marks/scars?

I do rotate the sites and always have a feel before apply the cannula to the area. Itching is not normally a problem. But thank you for the link.

Scarring is normal. Some people scar more than others. Minimize scarring by rotating to a broad range of areas and even by using two or more types of infusion sets. Some fit better in other parts of the body than others.

For instance, I use Quicksets on my abdomen and Silhouette’s on my rump. Left ab, right ab, left rump, right rump. At each site I rotate in a ‘diamond’ pattern - in an imaginary diamond starting in the middle then on each of the four corners. After the pattern is complete I switch sites.

If you have a body that scars easily, you can minimize the scarring, but you can’t eliminate it.

Terry

I have seen a commercial for a cream that claims to virtually eliminate a scar (those large nasty looking ones) but I can’t for the life of me remember the name or find it through google. As a beauty therapist you might have better luck finding the name of it. Assuming it really works on those large scars it should work also (maybe better) with the cannula scars.

I think what you’re trying to think of Pavlos is Merderma.

Xavanix, I deal with the scars from my infusion sets too. My skin tends to scar a tad more than most and I end up with little, about the size of garden peas, scars poka-dotting my abdomen. I’ve been pumping for about the same amount of time as you and I just noticed that I was getting scars from them. I have been using this herbal cream that I picked up at some health fair and it’s been helping, but it’s just one of those things, if I want to pump, I’m going to have scars… I think it’s an okay trade off!

I use four sites in rotation. Left abdomen, right upper leg, left upper leg, left abdomen. That gives me 12 days of sites, before a repeat. Actually the upper legs tend to work the best.

rick phillips

You should use a Neosporin type ointment on all your sites when you remove the set. This helps the healing process. The product I use also has prilocaine which helps with the pain the first few hours after set removal. I rotate sites such that I do not reuse the same location for about 72 days (I diligently keep track). After removal of a set I have a red spot that goes away in about two days. I also have a bump which stays for about 5-6 days. As long as I do not use the same spot for 2+ months everything heals nicely.

As far as using a set for 2 or 3 days - watch your BGs. If you see them rise on day three (I do sometimes when there is no explanation for it - like not covering carbs properly) you may find that just the fact the set has been in too long causes the BGs to rise because absorption is not as good on day three as day 1 or day two. Doing this too many times in the same location can cause the healing process to become slower.

Hope this helps

Sorry,

I meant Neosporin Plus - has pramoxine NOT prilocaine - but it still is an anesthetic to help reduce the pain.

You must be in europe…we don’t have the combo here in the US yet…can’t wait though, what do you think of it??? I presently use the cozmore (off the market now) with cleo insertions…I run into the same little bump, generally if I leave my sight in to long… I know I’m a bad pumper…Try shortening the time you leave the site in fro 3 to 2 days… most insertion sets use the same teflon cannula’s but you may want to look for a “hypoallergenic” version…

Thanks for your advice guys. I will look into the diffrent types of products avalible for small scarring especially the Neosporin Plus. I have been roataing well, and always have a good feel for any lumps, but thank you all for the roatation of sites advice.

Yeah i live in London, and this is my 1st pump and i am using the combo. I find it really good. I had a choice of up to 3 pumps to pick, one was the medatronic, another was the animas (i think) and the other was the combo. I had to make a though decession and kept it between the Meditronic and combo. I was swayed tp the meditronic… as you got continious glucose moitoring (even though it is slightly delayed) and t turn off when u have hypos. However i think the combo was much better for me, as i go out alot and would not really like the idea of taking the pump out of a hidden area (ie. wen wearing a dress etc) and the combo allows you to functio the pump via a small remote, which also is a blood glucose machine, which save space and luggae to carry (plus I use the acci-check nano blood glucose machine already) and the last thing that did sway me to it was that alot of the functions are in colour, on the remote so its easier to see…i think its brillint…

hope that helps, keep sending ideas if anyone has anymore. Thanks!!

I wish I could use my upper thighs, I cannot. I run high the entire time… I get really bad absorption… its sad

Man, I had awful scarring when I first started pumping. I originally used the Deltec Cozmore pump and the Comfort infusion sets, they caused a nightmare for my skin. I switched to the Cleo sets… better, but still got “pock-marks” a lot and was VERY allergic to the adhesives. I recently went to the Medtronic Paradigm (love it!), and my new infusion sites have minimal marks after removal if I wear a layer of Tegaderm on the skin and are careful to rotate every 3 days… it gets exponentially worse if I go too long!

I know the marks are sort of a knock at vanity, but as long as they are not hot or super-itchy, by and large they should be OK. Also, I use a lot of moisturizer and baby oil, keeps the skin happy! Good luck.

Hi xavanix.

I was on the Medtronic 722 (I think that’s the unit number?) a few years ago. There was an accumulation of problems that I had to come off of it, but I still have transluscent scars across the right and left sides of my abs where my pump sites used to be. There is about 100 total transluscent “scales” on my abs. And I came off the pump 3 years ago. They are showing no signs of going away.

I think of them as “survivor” marks. haha.

I use an Accu-Chec Spirit, and use the same infusion sites as you, I get red bumps when I remove mine, some worse than others. How big are your scars? I get little scars, the same size as the tube that goes through my skin, but you can ony really see them when they’re in the light so don’t particularly bother me that much.

I have some scarring as well :(.I like that Marps…“survivor marks” :slight_smile:

I consider the scarring the price of admission into pump therapy. I don’t think there is a way to totally prevent them over many years of pumping unless you are blessed with extraordinary genetics.

I have some dots from past infusion sets, but they are hardly visible. My bigger concern is that I have “invisible” scar tissue that ruins insulin absorption and keeps me from using my tush for pump site (bummer!).