treatyourscars As we age, our bodies lose collagen, which means older people are more prone to scarring than children. The extent to which a wound is scarred depends on which part of the body has been injured and how much blood circulates through the wound. Some people are prone to keloid scars, and they are more common in blacks than in other populations.
Based on research, African-Americans are more likely to develop hypertrophic keloid scars, which overgrow the scar tissue around the site of injury. In general, the scars remain thin and the color largely corresponds to the surrounding skin, but in fair-skinned people, the scars fade over time. Those with darker skin will notice that their scars are darker than the surrounding tissue.
The shape, size and depth of the wound contribute to what scars look like as well as the amount of blood in the region, skin colour and thickness of the skin. Keloid scars are raised, dark red hypertrophic scars that extend beyond the contours of the actual wound. Larger, overgrown scars increase the level of the surrounding skin and extend beyond the original incision.
Most hypertrophic scars begin to lose their redness and shrink within 6 months, and this process takes up to 2 years until the raised surface flattens (15). In a separate window open silicone gel plates and creams based on silicone oil have proven effective in limiting hypertrophic scar growth (16) and are believed to reduce scar size by increasing moisture, local skin temperature and occlusive membranes (17, 18).
Silicone gel plates can cut off large scars by applying them every two hours with a 30-minute rest interval. For patients prone to hypertrophic scarring, silicone gel foil should be applied at least two weeks after surgery.
This silicone product helps to soften, smooth and dye the scar and can be used up to 12 hours a day. If the position of the plate attachment is difficult, scar cream can also be used (19) to complete the epithelialization of the wound surface. Scar cream can be applied 3-4 times a day and massaged after 5-10 minutes.
No matter what you do, scars don’t always look as good as you’d like them to. But there are a few simple things you can do to minimize the scarring of your children when the skin heals.
Keep the healing incisions covered with hat and clothing as far as possible and use a broad sun screen to minimize the darkening of the incisions, the hyperpigmentation. Avoid stretching the wound, covering the wound to prevent it from increasing, promoting blood circulation to the wound and improving healing or massaging the wound. Use your fingers to apply moderate pressure and massage the scar circles.
In the first few weeks after removal of the stitches, the wound can be weak and there is a risk that the skin will be pulled back from stretching. Minimize any movement that involves stretching the area up to a month after removing the stitches.
Each injury is unique, so the most effective steps to prevent scars are different. Read on to find out how you can lower your chances of developing scars after an injury. A contraction scar can lead to a tightening of the skin, which restricts joint movement.
Chin, cheeks, nose, forehead, eyelids, lips and ears. Certain injuries, such as large scratches on the knees or elbows, are more likely to form scars. When people undergo surgical removal of skin cancer, they may be worried about scars that may remain.
If your skin is injured in an accident or surgery, your body works to repair the wound. When your skin heals, scars form and this is a natural part of the healing process. Scars from operations on joints such as knees or elbows are difficult to avoid, but scars caused by minor cuts and scratches can still be felt at home after the wound is treated.
Wash the area thoroughly with mild soap and water to remove germs and dirt. If asked to keep the area dry, wash the area again with mild soaps and water.
Dressing is useful for large wounds, abrasions, wounds, burns and wounds with persistent redness. Dressing keeps the wound moist and helps it heal faster, with fewer scars.
As wound heals, there is evidence that over-the-counter scar creams may reduce the incidence of scars. In the office, procedures such as laser microneedling can trigger a controlled wound reaction and reduce the incidence of scars by 50% to 60%. You should explore ways to minimize scars in the weeks following your injury, after removing your stitches, and after you have removed them.
Their job is to hold together the surgical wound so that it forms a clean line and does not gap or widen it. Scott Hultman, MD, MBA, plastic surgeon and director of the Johns Hopkins Burn Center and part of the Scar Revision Clinic team, says scars come from cuts because they are the most common injuries. Whether it’s from an accident or surgery, you need to know how to care for new stitches.
Cleaning the wound to reduce the risk of infection and to prevent dark spots caused by dirt in the skin. A common mistake is to interrupt the direct pressure of cleaning with gauze or a cloth to look into the wound. If an incision is gaping or visible, or there are dark red muscles or yellowish fat, close it small.
We found that taping a torso wound in the first 12 weeks after skin surgery improved the occurrence of scars at the 6-month endpoint of our study.
Silicone scar sheets or strips are sold under various brand names in drugstores and other outlets. The band is placed over the wound and worn around the clock to prevent the wound from stretching when a person bends down to stretch.
Dr. Loffredo has performed facelifts, tummy tucks, breast implants, breast tightening for breast cancer, and reconstructive surgery to treat patients of all ages with complex and problematic wounds. Patients should ask their doctor or plastic surgeon how they can improve their scars, says Dr L’Offredo. Plastic surgeons perform scar revisions when scars do not heal as quickly as patients hope or when they are still in pain.
