The skin is a seamless organ. Its main function is to protect the inner body. A small tear scratches or tears the skin, it can look different. Scars can be caused by surgery, trauma, injury, burn.
A scar is not that serious if its minor or it is in a place that is not visible. But if its big, you may be asking yourself how you are going to treat it, instead of concealing it under your clothes.
Well, scars don’t really disappear. However, there are a number of things you can do to change its appearance or reduce its size.
How does scarring occur?
Scarring takes place immediately after an injury. Its treatment and appearance depend on a number of factors. The size and depth of the wound and the location plays a major role. Your genes, age, ethnicity and sex also matters.
There are different types of scarring:
1. Keloid Scars
These scars arise due to the aggressive healing process. They grow beyond the initial injury. With time, the scar may affect movement. Treatment includes steroid injections, surgical removal of the scar or incision of silicon to flatten the scar.
2. Contracture Scars
If you have a burnt skin, you may be having contracture scar. The scars make the skin tight, which can tamper with your movement. The scars may grow deeper inside the skin and affect the nerves and muscles.
3. Hypertrophic Scars
These scars are red in colour and look somewhat similar to keloids, but do no extended beyond the injury location. Treatment includes silicone sheets to flatten the scar or steroid injections to reduce inflammation.
Over-the-counter medication
These medications are used to treat scars that are caused by wounds, scars and other types of injuries. If a plastic surgeon is monitoring you and your scar arose due to plastic surgery or cosmetic surgery, confirm with your doctor if you can use over-the-counter medication.
If that can’t work, there are other methods that can help. Most of the time, treatments include antihistamine or steroids. However, the creams may cause serious itching, especially if you have a sensitive skin.
Notably, if you have scars caused by acne, seek help from your dermatologist. Your doctor may recommend silicone gel sheeting or pressure treatment to help get rid of the scars.
Surgical procedures
There is a myriad of options to treat deeper scars, but this depends on the situation at hand. This may include laser surgery or excision or grafts. For the latter, doctors take a part of your skin from your body. But it is mostly done to those who have burns.
If your surgery has caused you scars, you should wait for at least 12 months before considering a scar treatment. This is because most scars fade away on their own and become invisible.
Injections
Steroids injections may be used to treat scars such as hypertrophic or keloid scars. Your doctor may use this or along with other methods.
Cryotherapy
Cryotherapy is ideal for treating smaller keloids. There is also gel pads and pressure treatment along with silicon when one is injured. Those who have a darker skin are prone to this condition.