There are both prescription and alternative medicines and surgical treatments to reduce the size and improve the appearance of scars caused by the body's response to injury and damage.
The Nture of Scars
Scars form when an injury, accident, burn or surgery damages the thick inner layer of skin, the dermis. To heal the damage, close the wound and prevent infection, the body forms tough collagen fibers, or scars, which have a different texture than the surrounding skin.
Scarring is affected by a person's genetic makeup, sex and ethnicity. Scars change with time, although fading and changes in color or shape may take months or years. Scar reduction is best begun soon after the scarring occurred.
Types of Scars
Most scars are flat and pale. Pink hypertrophic scars are raised and firm; they may fade over time. Reddish-purple keloid scars are raised and firm; they may grow over time. Atrophic scares, such as those caused by acne, are sunken or pitted.
Prescription Medicines
Prescription ointments to reduce scars often contain anti-inflammatory corticosteroids, aspirin and antihistamines as active ingredients. These creams are intended to reduce the body's attempt to heal itself through scarring. Injections of corticosteroids, used most often for flattened scars, can sometimes show results in one to two days.
Alternative Medicines
Over-the-counter gels and salves often contain cocoa butter cream or vitamin E. Other ointments have zinc, aloe vera, honey, vitamins A or C, rose hip, lavender and evening primrose. These treatments usually rely on alpha hydroxy acids, naturally found in fruit, to remove dead skin cells. Onion extract is a natural inflammatory that appears to inhibit the production of collagen. Silicone applied as a gel or patch is also used. It isn't known exactly how silicone works. These ointments should not be used until the wound has completely healed.
Surgical procedures
The surgical planning of scars, dermabrasion, can sometimes reduce raised scars. Lasers, instead of dermabrasion, can resurface raised scars. Lasers can be used to vaporize a layer of skin or remove lower layers, reducing scars from the inside out. Smaller keloid scars can sometimes be reduced by freezing the outer layer with liquid nitrogen, a process called Cyrotherapy. Low doses of superficial radiotherapy can treat recurring, severe hypertrophic or keloid scars. Radiotherapy is used only in extreme cases because of the potential of long-term side effects.
Surgery can also be used to alter the appearance of a scar. Surgeons can graft skin to treat burn scars, transferring good skin from another part of the patient's body. Good skin can also be transplanted. Although the results are temporary, injections of collagen or fat can smooth out the appearance of a sunken scar.
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