I read this somewhere and I don't know how I'd be able to deal with this if it were true. I'm 20 -- will I have to be constantly dealing with the risk of an AF/an AF for the rest of my life, even if I have surgery?

well everyones different. My symptoms started when I was 20. I waited 2 years for surgery and am 25 now without the AF but with still dealing with irritation issues unfortunately but I believe if I would have found help earlier I'd be better off. The earlier you started attacking it the better, but I'm sure there are many cases where people have gone back to normal, I know I've had the occasional day

I feel like even if it does heal, i'll be wary for the rest of my life. Fissure diet is here to stay

sk22 sadly fissures comes and go, in various degrees of discomfort, most people will have a fissure in their lifetime some will have them often and with just minimal problems, some women will have their first encounter with them after having a baby, some never do.
So fissures are not particular to anybody, they can happen to all of us.
But when it comes to pain and discomfort, it can be worst for some than others.
So, you have to be careful with your diet and make sure that if you have problems with constipation you take care of that.
Modern diet with lots of manufactured foods have taken much of the natural fiber.
So adding fiber to you diet is necessary for a healthy colon and bowels.
Is plenty of information here in this board that will help you find a way to deal with the fissures and make your life comfortable.
While surgery is an option it comes with many side effects for some, while for others is a blessing.
I hope you find a way that will no only help with your fissure healing but that you can keep for the rest of your life.
I had my first encounter with fissure after having my first baby 29 when I was misdiagnosed, so I lived all this years thinking that I have hems on and off and always will go away for a few years to comeback for a few months on and off then after having gallbladder surgery in 2011 I developed diarrhea and what I believe to be hems got worst, this time I had no choice but see a doctor, a colonoscopy showed that it was not hems, but a fissure.
Is been 9 months of been diagnosed properly and I have chosen to try and heal naturally rather than having LIS, so I am doing fine and my fissure while still there is more manageable and painless, I only get an occasional irritation but nothing that I can not take care off.
Now don't get me wrong, if I get back to pain, discomfort and the terrible spams that comes when a fissure is fressly opened I will get LIS.