Harm Reduction Track Marks MEGA Thread v 1:Human Pin Cushion

[Tommyboy]

We have a megathread that covers this so I merged it in with that.

 

[hawk33]

Cleanliness, cleanliness cleanliness. Be fussy before and after IV of any drug. After iv apply pressure, clean area, then apply perskindol cream.
Perskindol is personal preferance, thou i don't see why say savlon or bepantham wouldn't do a similar job. But i must recommend perskindol as having been an iv user for over 20 yrs i still use the same 3 inch area on one arm and very rarely bruise and have absolutely NO track marks. I must now point out this is irrelevant without correct needle usage, eg. always use fresh needle, always as blunt needles tend to bounce off veins(not sharing goes without saying), needle hole pointing up and don't force as it will slide in easily. Stay safe y'all
This is brief and for anyone who does iv or is learning go here.
http://www.anypositivechange.org/bvcsi.html

 

[tacodude]

You know you revived a topic dead for two years? Why do people do this? How do people come across such old topics and revive them without knowing? It's not like they are on the front page, but must be searched for. It just bewilders me.

 

[Speetz]

So I have destroyed the veins in my arms to the point that hospitals have used the ultrasound machine that they use for PICC lines on me to just find a surface vein and can't do it. They say nerve tissue has covered my arms and the only sizable veins are deep veins above my elbow, which they can only use for PICC lines. My hands I pretty much destroyed too besides veins so small idk what would even be possible to use to hit any of them. Most of this was done when I was young and dumb, and now that I have to use my feet (my leg veins are invisible and also even with a new tool every time seem to be one use only when I can actually feel for them... Its strange.) I want to know more what I can do to help keep my veins.

Besides switching from spot to spot, what else is there to help the vein? That and a new needle I know helps, but do a lot of the skin care track mark avoidance stuff work too? Hell, I seem to have the capacity to make new veins still (or at least have them grow so they are usable) but again, as a pescatarian not sure how far I will get toward that goal. I inc had huge, great veins. My right AC so was so large I could hit it blindfolded. But they all disappeared. Doctors tell me too that I have strange receding veins that close up very easily.

Side questions: Anyone know if they make 30g needles for 3ml syringes that have those great replaceable needles? I've come to really like them but was only given like... Lower-20s gauge needles, which I can use but not for long I'm sure.

Also, this was on my phone so apologize for any lack of clarity. Ill edit if I can.

TL;DR is basically what can help veins that may not be mentioned when speaking on track mark and skin health?

Thanks!

EDIT: Supplements!!! Any supplements that could help? Or some activity other than aerobic activity, if that even helps? Wish I was going for medical instead neuropsychopharmacology right now... Lol.

 

[Speetz]

Also to the above to avoid bruising just apply pressure after for 60 seconds or so. Should really help.

 

[tightlywound]

I count my lucky stars I don't scar easily. I've shot up heroin for 6 months and pills for a good few years. I used the exact same injection site for almost a year because at the time I couldn't find any other. and I reuse needles WAAAY too many times. I don't really have any scars at all though. if you look REALLY closely in bright light at that one spot I used the longest you can see a verrrry faint shadow of a mark, but there's no chance you would ever notice it unless I specifically pointed out to you under the right light.

 

[flowersonfire]

Just thought I'd mention a few things that I keep on hand that have always proven worthwhile. As with all things some skin types and body chemistry works better with one thing than another. All of these things have helped me so much. I hope they come in handy for others too!

If you bruise don't forget to put a clean cotton ball immediately over the injection site, remove needle slowly and apply pressure for a moment. Arnica cream or gel is absolutely amazing at preventing a bruise if applied soon after. Apply frequently to also help with swelling and pain. You can take Arnica herbal supplements if you get bad bruises frequently.

Mederma Scar Gel (generic scar gel from most 99 cent stores) If it looks like it might scar - start using this asap. It does work if used early.

Neosporin (basic triple anti-biotic cream) use to help heal faster - less chance of infection. Infected wounds leave the worst scars it seems.

Vitamin K oil or cream oil is more potent Apply on existing track marks, as soon as you see them. Helps them fade over time.

Vitamin E Very good and healing all around

A heating pad first go to defense for a missed shot. Warm, moist towels work too

An ice pack bring down any noticeable swelling. The sooner the better

 

[jamesBrown]

s pretty noticeable. I was using my tablet to take a picture. I never used the same rig more than twice....in new York state pharmacies sell you needles for three dollars for ten. I never understood why people couldn't afford a fresh one or wanted to use one of my used ones.

On topic. This is after a year....I don't think its getting any better, hence my idea of getting a tattoo. Any ideas

I'm sorry but I just have to respond to this even though it's old.
In the state I live, needle exchange programs are ILLEGAL. And on top of that, in order to purchase new needles you first have to find a place that is willing to sell them to you without demanding a diabetic card, which is almost impossible because (at least where I live) NO ONE seems to understand the harm reduction value in addicts using clean needles. And then as if that wasn't enough hurdles, practically ALL of the businesses/pharmacies here have a strict company policy of not selling needles to people without diabetic cards no matter the pharmacists own personal views on the subject. I have been told MANY MANY times by pharmacists who truly empathized and wanted to help but couldn't because their hands were tied that "It's company policy, I have no control".
Now, if I was lucky enough to find that ONE SINGLE Wal-Mart or H.E.B. or whatever where the pharmacist was willing to risk getting fired and sell me syringes....I would HAVE to purchase an entire BOX of 10 ten packs(100 syringes) in whatever size/length they were willing to sell to me. This came out to around $10 - $15....which, for me(a HUGE junkie) was A LOT of money.
Anyway, as a result of all of this, I ended up having to use each syringe(meant for ONE time use) at least 30-40 times before it would break, bend, zig-zag, clog, etc...and even that wouldn't stop me if I needed to get high. On many occasions I was using my last syringe which was literally in the shape of the letter "Z" at the tip.

SO every time I read or hear someone say something to the effect of..."Why do people re-use syringes?".......there's your answer. At least in my state.

 

[gleneverett14]

Any advice on getting them to be less noticeable in about 36 hours?

 

[iseeunicorns]

Best way to help get rid of old scars from IV use?

I have a lot of scars on my upper arm, some quite bad. Some are from my admittedly bad (and luckily well improved) IV technique from when I first started injecting, as I had no help and no clue what I was doing, other than what I had read in a book I own. Anyway, point is, does anyone know what is best to get rid of / reduce visibility of scars on my arm? The bad ones are about a year old.
I have seen a few ideas but was just wondering what has worked for other people who have tried to get rid of old scars from either IV-ing itself or abscesses etc. Dunno if bio oil is any good? Its kinda expensive if its no good so thought I should ask you guys.

Cheers - hope I have posted in the right place.

 

[Tombs]

I'm not sure if this applies to everyone - but this is scar tissue. It doesn't go away. I wouldn't pay anything over $10 for a vanity product that doesn't work anyway. I've tried tons of products and "massage regiments" on my track marks and nothing worked.

I haven't IVed anything in over a decade and my track marks are all still clear as day. The ones in the nook of my arms you can't notice but my forearm ones never tan and are super obvious.

I think anything that works well for stretch marks should work well for at least fading track scars a little. I like that cocoa butter stretch mark formula w collagen, keratin and elastin. A bottle is like 5 bucks. I got stretch marks really bad from working out and those never went away either. They just faded a bit.

I always found it odd because any scars I have from bullets, slice wounds or surgery faded really nicely into my skin color, they're barely noticeable.

 

[Tubbs]

I don't know of any, I'd count yourself lucky they're on your upper arms, as tombs said, the ones on my forearms are impossible to hide.

 

[nowdubnvr6]

Mederma I've found helps a fucking ton. I've used it in surgical scares and track Marks and other than Marks from an abscess you can barely tell after 10 years of IV use. You should be about to find mederma at any grocery store or Wal Mart.

 

[FlyingDutchman342]

The bi oil you mentioned can help with redness and scars that have a different colour than the rest of your skin. It doesn't make them go away though.

As a last resort, if they don't disappear after a year you could get a tatoo on the former injection site.

 

[Chronicpain54]

Mederma I've found helps a fucking ton. I've used it in surgical scares and track Marks and other than Marks from an abscess you can barely tell after 10 years of IV use. You should be about to find mederma at any grocery store or Wal Mart.

I absolutely agree. I had surgery that caused an 18" scar. My doctor had me buy Mederma before surgery and I used them for 4 months afterwards, changing them as instructed on the box.

It was aggravately to change them because the scar was so long but you have to hunt for the scar to see it.

 

[tacodude]

Things like avacado oil and other natural based skin healing products as well as proper nutrition is your best bet, but it will never truly go away.

 

[BigWolf]

Track Marks - and a quick, effective treatment for reducing and diminishing!

Hello.
This thread is to discuss track marks, and how to reduce their appearance quickly.
To be clear, a track mark begins at the very first puncture. This is not to be confused with already formed scar tissue, the result of many track marks along the same vein, for which there is a separate treatment. If that becomes a question, feel free to add any personal experience with scar reduction. Additionally, please post any home remedies you have used, that you have found to be effective in reducing the initial track.

Just so i make sure i'm reaching the right audience:
I'm a junkie. A closet junkie, who gets off on reading Wikipedia articles about designer drug pharmacology. I literally lead two lives. One of work and conformity, and the other of sleepless nights, cocaine, and 30ga 1cc 1/2". I've spent a lot of time mastering a u-100. Probably not as long as some of you degenerates, but I've been injecting on and off for 12 years, and I've put a lot of drugs in my arms. and feet. and hands. and yes, in moments of sheer desperation and self-loathing, my neck. Maybe you did too. To this day, the only mark I have was a vein in my forearm that was too small and blew, leaving a scar from an ischemic lesion from cocaine.
(well, crack with vinegar. but cocaine sounds classier.)

I'm telling you this not because i'm higher than thou for not having a mark.
I'm telling you this because it is only by sheer grace that i found a method that works, and that there is someone googling "how to make track marks disappear", who may be able to save their job, marriage, or girlfriend if they act quick. I have never read about this treatment online. Never saw it on Bluelight or any other forum. I've been using it for 5 years, and it has never let me down, but still, no one ever mentions...

....ARNICA!!!!!!

Five years ago i went on an iv crack binge with my ex, after not using a syringe or any heavy drugs for a couple years. We both had really good jobs, and needed to show up for them, but in two weeks, we demolished what we both had left of our veins from our revisited lives as IV users. She, a nurse, heard of Arnica Gel and Cream somewhere in the hospital, and at the 23rd hour, the night before work we went and desperately bought bottles of the gel. (its located near any bacitracin/neosporin type aisle of any chain pharmacy, if you dont want to ask.) By the next morning, all bruising was gone. We both kept using it, and if i remember correctly it took 3 days before it wasn't noticeable.
If you've ever been an IV user of cocaine, you know that you leave the Long Island Rail Road across whatever appendage your poking. It's just so god-damn compulsive. Flakka too, but lets not go there..

Here is my personal treatment- you will need at least 12 hrs:

1) "Oh ****. The drugs are gone, and I just looked at my arms. I am ****ed."

2) Don't beat yourself up, and stay positive.. keep yourself motivated to taking care of the wounds.

3) Clean your site of injection with warm water and mild mosturizing soap as soon as you are finished. This will soften the tissue around the puncture and clean them free of any surface bacteria. Surface bacteria will contribute both to immediate tissue damage and contributes to permanent scarring.

4) Apply copious amounts of Arnica gel (~$12.50USD - I find the gel works quicker) along the veins you used. as it dries it may flake up. this is normal. just keep reapplying.

5) Apply a small dab of neosporin or bacitracin to the puncture site, while allowing for a generous coating of the Arnica. Triple-antibiotic creams will do nothing for bruising or redness, but keep the wound moist and healing.

6) You must stay on top of steps 4 and 5, hourly.

7) A heating pad at night may also help reduce swelling, redness, and bruising.

8) Go to sleep, and promise God you'll go to church if these go away.

9) If you did this for 24-hrs, and see a noticeable reduction in all aspects, continue it for as long as you can before whatever obligation requires you. If after two days, you see a big difference, then tell your junkie buddies about it, and hopefully help out the next guy.



I know there's things wrong with this thread, like "You didn't talk about site rotation, or gauge size, or any other number of nuances that will impact how bad its gonna look." You're right, I didn't, because proper injection technique has been discussed many times over already. Proper technique is really 50% of this whole thing, but..

as I type this, I must admit that even after years of knowing better, I still ****ed up. I used the same pin several times in a session, after a long night of cocaine, so my veins were already severely constricted. you can see the biforcation of my vein in my left hand, glaring at you with puncture wounds. I just lost it at some point and couldnt hit, but that didnt stop me from making an awfully valiant attempt to do so. And you know what..

Maybe you ****ed up too, and are desperately searching for a solution.. well, this is for you.

 

[Chris42393]

Thank you very much for the post! Ill pick some of that up and see how it works!

 

[BigWolf]

No problem dude. I was disappointed that this didn't get a lot of hits, but even if only one person benefits from ot, then my job is done!