Body image and scar assessment: A longitudinal cohort analysis of cardiothoracic, neurosurgery and urology patients.

Background: Scar severity and scar viewing are known to affect body image. The literature is lacking on the relationship between body image and surgical scar assessment. The aims of this study were to compare patients from 3 different surgical departments in terms of body image and scar assessment at discharge, in comparison with nurses' scar assessment, and 3 months post-surgery.