To save you searching through all my postings in Medhelp, I'd suggest that you log on to:-
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/523166
in which I recorded my experience of a total colectomy.
Regarding the question of scarring - you should ask your surgeon but I would imagine that the scars from a laparoscopically performed total colectomy are less noticable than those from a "complete opening of the abdomen/surgeon's hands inside the abdomen".
My surgery was the latter type and it did leave a scar which has faded over the years. In my experience it is not easily noticed by "casual observation" but when undergoing (for instance) a heartbeat ultrasound by a specialist, then the specialist did say "oh - you have had abdominal surgery".
But, at the risk of stating the obvious, one does not undergo a total colectomy without good reason and the creation of a scar must surely be of inferior importance compared to the desirability of the surgery??
Do come back if you have any further questions.
regards
Morecambe