What makes scars more visible

They are often the result of burns, and they can be painful. Contracture scars can affect muscles and nerves beneath the skin. They can also affect the movement of the affected body part.

These are raised lines that remain after a minor cut or wound or after surgery. The line usually flattens and fades over time. However, this may take up to 2 years, and even then, there may still be a small mark. Also known as stretched scars, widespread scars are common after surgery. They occur when a surgical incision scar stretches and becomes wider. These scars are usually flat and pale, so they tend to be less noticeable than raised or indented scars.

Silicone can help reduce the appearance of new scars, though it may not improve the appearance of old scars. Doctors have used silicone sheeting for over 35 years , and silicone gel is also now in use. Evidence seems to suggest that these options are effective at reducing scars and improving their appearance.

For example:. Doctors may prescribe silicone scar treatment products for use after surgery or an injury, but these products are also available for home use without a prescription. One of the most well-known natural remedies for scar treatment is onion extract. Products containing this extract are widely available without a prescription. According to research from , a gel containing onion extract improved and softened scars after 4 weeks.

Also, in a study , people who underwent a second cesarian delivery applied either a gel containing onion extract or no treatment to the scar area for 6 months. Those who used the gel had less raised scarring, less color change, and better blood supply to the wound area.

Typically, the sooner a person treats their scars, the better the outcome. Waiting years after a scar has formed to treat it may need other modes of treatment rather than just home remedies. For example, a person may need cortisone injections or microneedling.

For this reason, it is best to treat a scar as soon as it starts to develop. Creams, masks, and serums that contain exfoliants can help remove the outer layers of dead skin, leaving a smoother appearance. They may help people with acne scars. Active ingredients that may help improve the appearance of scars include:. A dermatologist can advise on products and deliver treatment.

Products available over the counter will not be as strong as those that a dermatologist may use. Is salicylic acid useful for treating acne?

Sun protection will not remove scars, but it can prevent them from burning or becoming more visible. Scar tissue is sensitive to sunlight and can burn easily. The person who suffers from a keloid scar may have a simple insect bite and wind up with a raised scar several inches in diameter. When it comes to scarring, where it occurs matters.

However, a wound in an area that moves is far more likely to scar. So a cut just behind the ear will heal more smoothly than a cut in the middle of your chest. Think about it, when was the last time you accidentally wiggled your ears. First of all, have any significant wound checked by a doctor. Stitches can help minimize the risk of scarring.

This might be butterfly bandages or other skin adherent tapes. Make an appointment to see your dermatologist. There are a variety of treatments to remove or reduce the appearance of all types of scars, including keloids. Bopp uses a wide range of techniques to get your skin back in the pink. Felix Bopp may be required to enhance the treatment results of the recommendations below. Scars cannot be completely removed. However, thanks to breakthroughs in technology, in most cases their appearance can be dramatically minimized.

Depending on the type of scar you have, one or more of the following treatments may be used:. Everybody Scars All mammals scar.

Types of Scars Our skin repairs itself in a variety of ways. Location, Location, Location When it comes to scarring, where it occurs matters. Read more about the causes of scars.

Scarring is unpredictable and varies from person to person. Certain areas of the body are more at risk of scarring, such as the chest, the back, the ear lobe and the shoulder. Scars that form on the knees and shoulders can appear stretched or widened as a result of the healing process occurring over movable joints.

Read more about scar types. Depending on the type and age of a scar, a variety of different treatments may help make them less visible and improve their appearance. Read more about treating scars. Scarring, particularly when it is on the face, can be very distressing. It can feel as if you are being stared at. If you avoid meeting people as a result of your appearance, you may become socially isolated. This can lead to feelings of depression. If you feel that your scars are making you depressed or affecting your daily activities, visit your doctor.

It is not possible to prevent scars from forming, but there are things you can do to help your scar be less visible and heal better, such as immediately cleaning dirt, objects and dead tissue from wounds.

Scars on the skin may appear when a cut or other injury is in the process of healing. The different types of scars vary in appearance. At first, a normal scar may be red and look sore, but it will usually fade as the injury begins to heal. If the skin at the edges of the wound has come together neatly, the scar will usually heal as a thin, pale line. In wider wounds, where more surface skin is missing and more scar tissue is needed to bridge the gap between the edges of damaged skin such as a bad graze on the knee , the scar may be less neat and may take longer to heal.

Normal scars are not usually painful, although they may be itchy for some months. They can also be quite dark in colour and unsightly. If you have a darker skin type, scar tissue may fade to leave a brown or white mark. These are often permanent, but can sometimes improve over time.

If your skin is tanned, the scar may appear more obvious as scar tissue does not tan and remains pale. A keloid scar is an overgrowth of tissue that occurs when too much collagen is produced at the site of the wound and the scar keeps growing, even after the wound has healed.

A hypertrophic scar is a red, raised scar that forms along a wound and can have the following characteristics for around two to five years:. Some scars caused by skin conditions such as acne and chickenpox can have a sunken or pitted appearance. Scar contractures are commonly caused by burns. Scarring results from the body's natural healing process after body tissue has been damaged.

Scarring can also be a side effect or a complication of other conditions. For example, if you have a condition that causes a rash, such as chickenpox or acne , you may be left with scars where the rash was more likely if you scratch or pick at the affected areas.

It is thought keloid scarring and hypertrophic scarring may run in families. This means you have an increased risk of developing keloid scarring or hypertrophic scarring if a member of your family has previously had these types of scars.

People seek help for scars if they are painful or itchy, if they are unsightly, or if they restrict movement. Although scars cannot be removed completely, they can often be made less visible.

However, more research is required to assess the effectiveness of the different treatments. Corticosteroid injections are used to treat some keloid and hypertrophic scars. Multiple small injections are made into the scar to reduce any inflammation swelling and to flatten the scar. Depending on the type of scar, these may need to be repeated.

Sometimes treatment may continue for several months if the scar is improving. Silicone gels or sheets are available from some pharmacies. They are used on healing skin not open wounds to reduce redness and try to minimise hypertrophic or keloid scars.

To be effective, silicone gels or sheets should be placed over the scar for 12 hours a day, for at least three months.

You can ask your doctor, dermatologist or pharmacist for further advice about a range of silicone-based scar treatments. Be aware that having surgery on your scar will leave a new scar that will take up to two years to improve in appearance.

If surgery is used to treat a hypertrophic scar, there is a risk that the scarring may be worse after the surgery.

Surgery alone is not advised for keloids as they tend to grow back larger. Surgery for keloids is often combined with corticosteroid injections at the site of the removed scar immediately after the surgery.