Injuries and surgeries can leave scars that alter your appearance. Here’s what you should Know
Scarring Cannot Be Completely Avoided
Scarring is a normal part of the healing process and if a deep cut or incision is made in your skin a scar will form. However, there are many things you can do during the healing process to keep the scar as small and inconspicuous as possible.
Scars Cannot Be Healed
Scars are permanent. They can fade and shrink, but they do not go away completely.
There Are Different Types Of Scars
There are a few different types of scars including:
- Keloids: Overgrown areas of scar tissue result in keloids- scars that are raised and irregularly shaped. These scars can grow larger over time and usually appearance on the face, ears, neck, shoulders, and chest.
- Hypertropic Scars: These scars come from immature collagen that is deposited in the area of an injury or incision. If these scars are large or inconveniently placed, they can sometimes limit movement. They do not grow larger over time and if they aren’t interfering with movement, they are not considered harmful.
- Contractures: These are mature scars that can restrict movement. Contractures often occur when there has been large amounts of tissue loss or when a patient has been immobile for a long time.
Scars Can Be Minimized
While scars cannot be completely eliminated, there are a number of things that can be done to reduce the size of a scar or make it less noticeable.
The first step is normally scar care, which should continue for at least 3 months after the incision or injury. Your doctor can give you specific advice, but there are a number of things that can help aid the healing process. Some options include:
- Applying moisturizer and massaging the area to soften and flatten a scar.
- Wearing sunscreen to protect your skin. UV radiation can damage the skin and make a scar appear darker.
- Silicone sheets that keep the area hydrated and help flatten and soften the scar.
After a scar has formed, there are still many steps you can take to minimize its appearance. Scar revision is sometimes used to replace a larger noticeable scar with a smaller lighter scar. Laser treatments can flatten scars and fade them so that they are less noticeable. Dermabrasion can also be used to smooth the skin and reduce the appearance of scars. To learn more about scar therapy schedule a consultation with Dr. Trussler.
