Process of Removing 15 Yr Old Scar

I've had this scar on my leg for a really long time. 15 years. I have tried almost EVERYTHING to get rid of it. It's really impacted my life negatively. No pretty dresses or skirts or throwing on shorts in this hot FL weather. No going to beaches or jumping into the pool. Always feeling self conscious in my body. It's a terrible feeling. I have gone to so many people for help and they always either told me because of my dark skin nothing will work for me or they told me to try other methods which in the end did nothing. I have had period of trying things that everyone has sworn would work and having long periods of not doing anything, either because I've given up or because I couldnt afford to try things other people said worked at the time. I have considered scar removal before a few years ago but didn't know much about ti and when I asked the surgeon about it he told me the area was too large and I would need a skin graft and it would be very difficult to do but I can go see another surgeon if I wanted but it would be really expensive. This really discouraged me and I ended up not pursuing it. Now that I'm 30 and have a decent job I've decided there's no way in hell I'm going to spend my 30s with the same issues I've faced since my teens. no way. So I found a doctor who was willing to take the time to listen to what I want and has done this before and didn't try to convince me to do another "wait and see" procedure like i've been doing for 15 years with creams, peels, derma rollers, bleach, etc. He initially wanted me to do laser and when I said "no, just cut it off," he said ok and that he understood that I just wanted to be done with dealing with this after all this time and then the consult became all about scar revision and nothing else. i appreciated that immensely.

So anyway the scar is about 5x7 cm and because of the size he stated he would have to go in about 3 times. Cut out a piece, let it heal then come back and take out another piece and keep going until hes removed all of it.

So today was the day of my procedure. I was only given a local anesthetic and a valium to help my nerves but honestly it didn't do anything (the valium). I think the fact that the doctor and his assistants talked a lot about other things helped. Also, the little plush squeezy things they gave me helped me a whole lot also.

He gave me a series of injections in the portion of the scar that he was going to remove. I was extremely nervous, the fact that im going to be awake while someone was cutting out a portion of my skin is a little nerve wrecking. plus of course i was nervous at the fact that i was finally getting something done that I wanted for so long.

It took maybe 45 minutes for him to finish and I began relaxing once I realized I really wasn't going to feel anything. I could tell when he was cutting in and when he was sewing it up because I could feel him touching my skin but I couldn't feel the sharpness of the instrument. Anyway the doctor and staff during the operation was great. I am excited to see how this heals.