Scars Overview

A scar forms when a thick, deep layer called the dermis is broken. The body attempts to fix the destroy by forming new collagen tissue that has a slightly different texture & color surrounding the existing tissue.

There’s types of scarring that occurs. Raised scars occur when the body overproduces collage & are known as hypertrophic scars or keloid scars & are common in individuals who are more youthful with darker-skin tones. Other scars are sunken in & pitted & occur when parts of the skin structures are lost. These scars are usually caused by acne & surgical procedure.

The most common treatments selected by scar victim include topical creams & ointments. Non-topical methods are common for those experiencing extreme scars, but can also show to be pricey & time consuming. Surgical procedure is often performed to render a scar less noticeable. It is not recommended for raised scars as it can further destroy & cause additional scarring. Injections of steroids for these kinds of scars are more often recommended as they will flatten out the scar.

Dermabrasion is a treatment used to resurface the skin with special equipment. It is often useful for raised scars but has small effect on sunken & pitted scars. Alternatively, microdermabrasion is a less invasive procedure often used for less serious scarring. Similar to dermabrasion, laser resurfacing achieves similar results with less recovery time.

A scar is the result of the body’s method of repairing wounds in the skin. It is part of the natural healing method of the body & occurs in some degree by most all wounds. A scar can result from surgeries, accidents, diseases, acne, pregnancy, & extreme weight gain or loss.