I keep hearing you guys refer to your AF's as either chronic or not chronic, is there a time frame that determines which it is? Does it make a difference in how it heals? If its chronic will it require surgery as opposed to being acute and possibly healing itself?

Hey Cat, yes there is a time period. Usually a fissure that doesn't heal withing 6-8 wks on it's own using conservative methods is chronic. Not always, but most of the time once it is chronic, some kind of intervention is needed to heal.

Thanks Sue! I was wondering also :oops:

Acute fissures also have what look like little "smiles" on them, so if the doctor looks at your butt and says, "Oh how cute." You know its an acute fissure.