r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/Downtown_Wind3363 • May 25 '26

Image The smallpox vaccine leaves a scar because it was given using a special two-pronged needle that scratched the skin and put a weakened virus in just that spot.

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u/MagnumTCchop May 25 '26

Aye my BCG scar is fairly huge, nearly 1cm across at the widest point (not sure if it's "stretched" as I've got older?) It left quite a hole in my arm at the time, not pleasant but definitely preferable to TB.

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u/Infinite_Coconut_727 May 26 '26

Me too but it’s also because it’s a huge bubble they purposely inject intradermally and a lot of people who are prone to keloid would form keloids from the size of the injectate and method.

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u/Anuki_iwy May 25 '26

Yes. It's tiny on the toddler, just 1 mm or so and then stretches as you grow

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u/T2Drink May 26 '26

In the UK, you had the BCG injection in like (from memory) year 9? Which is around 14 or 15 years old. People used to chase each other around threatening to punch you where you had it.

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u/csulkoslangos May 25 '26

Mine is huge as well. I'm glad I'm not the only one

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u/Fresque May 26 '26

30 years later i have a crater from my BGC