Mature scars can be “normal,” atrophic, or hypertrophic. Keloids occur in patients with a genetic predisposition and behave differently than hypertrophic scars, although there can be a continuum in terms of appearance.
Identifying Scars by Texture
Lumpy, bumpy, raised scars: When the body creates too much collagen at the site, hypertrophic or keloidal scars occur. Sunken, depressed, pitted scars: When underlying skin support structures such as fat or muscle are lost, atrophic scars occur.
Hypertrophic scars that result from burn wounds are more difficult to treat. Superficial burn wounds usually heal without forming hypertrophic scars. Deep burn wounds are harder to treat. Many dermatologic and plastic surgeons treat these by removing the burned area and then using a skin graft.
These areas include the ears, the top of the shoulder and the area in front of the breastbone (sternum). There are lots of theories as to why this may be. Some people have suggested that it is due to the genes at these sites which have a more angry response to injury.
Keloid Scars
Some keloids continue to grow months or years after the original injury heals. A true Keloid scar extends beyond the area of insult where a hypertrophic scar is increased scar tissue that stays within the borders of the original injury. Scientists aren't sure why some scars develop in this way.
Men with mild facial scars were typically ranked as more appealing by women who were looking for a brief relationship, though they were not considered better as marriage material, a study found. In the same experiments, women with facial scars were judged to be as attractive as those without, the researchers said.
Keloid scars.
Instead of stopping when the skin is healed, the body keeps making collagen for months — or even years — after the injury, creating a raised scar. These types of scars can form anywhere but are most common on the abdomen, back, chest, ear, jaw, or shoulders.
One tip for taking care of scars is to use a topical ointment. Cocoa butter cream and Vaseline are most often used to help reduce the appearance of scars. Applying the ointment daily will help heal scars but will not make them invisible. Another tip for caring for your scars includes surgery.
For best results, you should perform scar massage for at least 10 minutes, twice a day, for six months. You should only stop sooner than that if the scar starts showing signs of infection or you experience intolerable discomfort.
When a scar first develops on lighter skin, it's usually pink or red. Over time, the pinkish color fades, and the scar becomes slightly darker or lighter than the color of the skin. In people with dark skin, scars often appear as dark spots. Sometimes scars itch, and they may be painful or tender.
That Lump Under Your Surgical Scar May Be An Incisional Hernia. Have you recently noticed a lump or a bulge in the area of a previous surgical scar? Chances are you have what's called an Incisional Hernia. Incisional hernias can occur in up to 50% of surgical incisions.
Areas of the body that have increased susceptibility to keloid and hypertrophic scar formation include the earlobe, the sternum, the deltoid region of the upper arm, and the upper back.
Atrophic scars are the opposite of hypertrophic scars. They are depressed, sunken and often have a pitted appearance.
Use silicone products
Silicone products, such as silicone sheets and gels, can keep your scar moisturized and help it heal. You can use them under your makeup and clothing.
How should I care for a scar following surgery/injury? Pat dry your scar after a bath or shower. Use a non-perfumed moisturising cream such as E45 cream or aqueous cream to moisturise the skin surrounding your scar twice a day. Avoid picking or scratching your scar.
Scar debuted in The Lion King (1994). The scheming younger brother of Mufasa, Scar was next-in-line to take the throne, until his nephew Simba, Mufasa's son, was born, replacing him. Determined to seize the throne, Scar devises a plan to kill both Simba and Mufasa.
Vitamin E may be hailed as a new miracle regarding scar reduction and fading. However, the lack of clinical evidence suggests that using vitamin E for scars is ineffective and, thus, not necessary.
Wound dehiscence is a complication of surgery. In wound dehiscence, your closed surgical incision (cut) opens after surgery, exposing internal tissues and possibly exposing organs. Wound dehiscence symptoms include bleeding, pain and broken sutures or stitches.
People make judgments about others based on their scars because scars tell stories—of social identity, of individual choices, and even of personality. That's the case for both scarification and the unintentional scars that are part of human life.
As your skin continues to heal, the scar will flatten and change color. In time, many flat scars are nearly the same color as your skin. A flat scar may also be paler or slightly darker than your surrounding skin. Proper wound care may increase the likelihood that you'll see a flat scar instead of a raised scar.
Yes, scars recall old wounds. But they can also offer encouragement. They can remind us that in those moments when we could have played it safe, we chose to take a risk. When we could have chosen the easy way out, we decided to stay and struggle.