I’m happy to show off my arms

Sharon o’Connor, 44, a postwoman, lives with her husband Kevin in Plymouth. They have three adult daughters.

When I was 14 months old, I pulled a pot of boiling tea over my right arm and neck. I don’t remember it, but Mum tells me she ripped off my BabyGro and my skin came off with it. I was on the hospital burns unit for eight weeks.

While the splashes on my face healed within days, the scald on my arm required a skin graft, taken from my inner thigh, followed by regular check-ups until I was 15.

Growing up with such a big scar — around 40 per cent of my arm is affected — I was often self-conscious about it; if I went swimming, I’d wear a T-shirt. But after having the girls, I became less self-conscious, and now it doesn’t bother me at all.

The top part of the scar is quite tight when I raise my arm. My surgeon has said if I want another skin graft I can have one, but the skin tone might not match.

I’m now happy to wear vest tops. While it’s a reminder of what can happen with boiling water, it hasn’t made me over-cautious. EXPERT COMMENT: Dr Justine hextall, a dermatologist with

Western Sussex hospitals nhS Foundation Trust, says: ‘With a scald or a burn, the extent of the scar will depend on whether the scald went through just the top epidermis layer of skin, or to the bottom dermis layer, too. If it’s only gone through the epidermis, new skin will grow in its place. But if it reaches the dermis, there is a significant risk of a scar.

‘Scalds and burns heal from the base of the damage and the periphery. If the skin cells at the base have been destroyed, the wound will then heal slowly from the periphery causing the skin to contract.’

If it’s across a joint, this can cause problems.’