Have you ever noticed a small, rounded scar on your upper arm? If you ever had a smallpox shot before the 1970s, chances are you have this scar. The smallpox vaccination was given to protect people from the dangerous Variola virus, using a live Vaccinia virus to trigger an immune response.

After receiving the shot, blisters would develop at the injection site. These blisters would heal and eventually form a crust, leaving behind a circular scar. Each time the needle pierced the skin, a tiny amount of the vaccine was applied, causing the blisters to form and resulting in the noticeable scars.

The area where the shot was administered would slightly expand immediately and over the following 6 to 8 hours. After that, the swelling would go away and the injection site would appear normal. After 6 to 8 weeks, a small lump resembling a mosquito bite would reappear, growing into a tumor-like formation. Eventually, the tumor would crack open, seep fluid, and develop into an ulcer.

As the sore healed, a scar would form, completing the process in two to five weeks. In some cases, the ulceration and healing process could occur two or three times, leaving behind an irreversible scar.

Fortunately, smallpox was eradicated in most parts of the Western world after the early 1970s. As a result, vaccinations for smallpox were no longer necessary unless someone was traveling to an area where the virus still posed a threat.

In the 1980s, it was determined that people were no longer being exposed to the Variola virus, leading to the complete discontinuation of smallpox vaccinations.

So, the small scar on your upper left arm serves as a reminder of a time when vaccinations were crucial in protecting us from deadly diseases.

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