Scar
After healing a wound or an injury, you’ll have a mark left, a scar.
These are natural in the healing process. In most cases, they fade, but they never completely disappear.
Types of scars
A scar can be in a fine line or seen as a pitted hole on the skin or resembles an abnormal overgrowth of tissue.
Normal fine-line scars
A minor cut wound usually heals and leaves a raised line, which tends to fade gradually and gets flattened over time; this process can take up to two years, and you’ll have a visible mark or line.
These Fine-line scars are standard and not generally painful, but they may be prickly for a few months.
Keloid scars
Keloid scar occurs when overgrowths happen in tissue when too much collagen at the site of a wound.
Here the scar keeps rising, even after the healing.
Keloid scars can be pink, red, the same color, or darker than enveloping skin. They are often itchy or painful and can even restrict the skin’s movements if tight and near a joint.
+Hypertrophic scars
Like keloid scars, hypertrophic scars happen from excess collagen produced at the injury site.
But, unlike keloid scars, hypertrophic scars will not extend beyond the boundary of the initial wound.
Pitted or sunken scars
They can result from skin conditions, such as acne and chickenpox, and process a sunken or pitted appearance.
This scar can also develop as an impact of hurt, causing a loss of underlying fat.
Scar contractures
Scar contractures occur after burns. They occur when the skin +
shrinks, resulting in tightness and a restriction in movement.
Treatments
Removing a scar is not possible entirely, but most scars will slowly fade.
Treatments are available to improve a scar’s appearance and help make it less visible.
If scarring is hideous, uncomfortable, or restrictive, treatment options may include:
- Topical silicone gel or silicone gel sheets
- Steroids
- Pressure dressings
- Skin camouflage (make-up)
- Surgery
Reviewed by – Dr. Priyanka, MBBS MD Microbiology
Page last reviewed: 04 October 2022