Scars Are Scary! Medical Advice on How to Make Them (Almost) Go Away

Each surgery - but also a regular cut or burn - will leave your skin with a scar. Scars are built from a fibrous tissue which differs from the one in healthy skin. This is why they are less flexible than the rest of skin, resist tanning and are devoid of nerve endings, sebaceous glands and hair follicles. Unfortunately, it is impossible to remove them completely. However, following just a couple of simple medical advice, you can make them almost invisible.

Aesthetic medicine experts, plastic surgeons and dermatologists agree on one point - it is easier to prevent an unsightly, extensive scarring, rather than hide the existing one. The formation of hypertrophic scars or keloids is largely determined by genes, and depends on individual predispositions of the body. This does not mean that your skin cannot be helped.

Be patient

A stitched wound must be disinfected at least two times a day. Refrain from using strong antiseptics like methlated spirit - use milder, but equally effective means - for example octenisept  or saline solution, which you can easily find in any pharmacy. Also, do not remove the scab - even if its itchy! - since it works as a natural wound dressing. If a large wound happens to be on such an area of skin which bends or stretches according to the body’s natural movements (eg. on the elbow or neck), try to immobilize the whole area.

Eat healthy

During wound healing, diet is particularly significant. Your daily meals should contain as much vitamin A (found in, e.g., broccoli, spinach, pumpkin and carrots) and vitamin E (almonds, walnuts, soy bean sprouts) as possible. Keep a high protein intake: eat meat, poultry, fish and dairy products.

Avoid the sun

New scars should be protected from UV radiation for at least a year, which means careless sunbathing or using tanning beds is out of the question. Why? Sun stimulates collagen deposition in the scar tissue, and this can lead to ugly overgrowths, itching and pain. Some recent medical articles also warn that when exposed to sunlight, scarring can become much darker, hence more visible. Of course this does not mean you need to resign from your dream Hawai holidays - just do not forget to cover the sensitive spot with a band-aid after putting some high factor sunscreen on your skin.

Use scar patches and massage

The final look of your skin depends highly on what ointments, drugs and other treatment forms you used in the process during the formation of scar tissue. Silicone scar sheets are among the most recent options available on the market. They are not only very comfortable but also efficient: they prevent the formation of hypertrophic scars and keloids and eliminate or reduce unpleasant symptoms associated with the regular cicatrization of wounds. A common medical advice on how to relieve the itching or stiffness is simply...massage. Gently stroking and stretching the area around the scar - especially after the scab has fallen of - can be really helpful in the process of healing.