A. Scarring, if that concerns you, was surprisingly minimal. A little over 1 year after surgery, you couldn’t even tell I had the surgery unless you looked very closely. Your physical therapist will show you how to massage the scar (once it’s closed up) to move and disperse scar tissue out. Surgery methods have improved, as friends with old (5 – 10 years ago) ACL surgery scars look like Dr. Frankenstein did the job. (And anyway, “Pain is temporary, glory is forever, chicks dig scars,” as the t-shirt says.) Update 8/2004 If you are concerned about scarring (and women who wear shorts or skirts may be), here are some suggestions: o Protect new scars from sunlight, keep them covered or wear sunscreen. Scartissue also has less pigment than the rest of your skin, so they are more prone to sunburn. o I did not use them, but I’ve read that anti-scarring lotions containing hyaluronic acid softens the skin and makes it more elastic during the healing process, reducing scar tissue formation.
