How to Prevent Scarring
Scarring
Getting into a car accident, having an operation, or just cutting yourself is bad enough, but the scars you end up with can add insult to injury. Scars are nature’s way of healing assaults to the skin, but most of us see them as imperfection. We accept them, but we don’t often like them, Fortunately, if you know how to handle wounds as they heal and care for scars as they mature, you can make the best of a less-than perfect situation.
First, it helps to understand the nature of a scar. “A scar is just a connection of collagen fibers that the body makes to repair a wound,” says stephen W. Perkins, M.D.,a facial plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. “The body basically glues the skin back together with a matrix of new collagen fibers.”
Once the injury heals, the scars goes through several different stages. A typing scar usually looks red and irritated for the first few weeks, then it should gradually begin to improve. At the three-to six-weeks period, it may actually start appearing more red again, says Perkins. Sometimes. it may take a year or two for a scar to develop a finished look. In the meantime, here are some things you can do to give your scar to best chance of blending in.
Decide if you need to see a doctor should you cut yourself.
Two major signs should send you to a doctor, according to Regan Thomas, M.D., director of the facial Plastic Surgery Center and assistant Clinical professor at Washington University School of Medicine , both in St. Louis Get medical attention if a cut continues to bleed even after you’re applied pressure to it to stop the flow. In addition ,even if the bleeding has stopped, if the cut is gaping and the edges don’t come together on their own , you’ll probably end up with better-looking scar if you get a doctor’s help.
Carefully clean the wound.
One you’re determined that your cut isn’t serious, you’ll need to cleanse it. It may sting a bit , but it’s worth the effort. “Don’t be afraid to wash with soap and water,” says Georege Lefkovits, M.D., assistant professor of surgery at New York Medical College in Valhalla. You want to get any dirt and debris out and keep infection-Causing bacteria away.
Use an antibiotic ointment.
Applying a thin layer of antibiotic ointment(sold without a prescription) does two things It helps counter potential infection, and “The moist barrier allows those cells that are trying to heal across the wound to do so more effectively and more efficiently,” says Thomas. Cuts or scraps that are kept moist heal faster week or so, reapply the ointment every day after gently cleaning the you may want to cover the area with a bandage if it’s under clothing or is liable to get dirty, but this isn’t essential.
Keep new scars out of the sun.
Once the injury has healed and a scar has begun to from, you should watch out for that sun’s rays. You could end up with a scar that is darker or doesn’t fade as well if you expose it to the sun. Leftovits suggest that for the first three to six month, you keep the area covered, use a sunscreen on the scar, or simply keep the area out of the sun.
Try cosmetic coverups.
After a wound has healed but while the scar is still young, you may want to camouflage the redness , especially if the scar is very visible . Special makeups designed to cover scar can do the trick. ” Using these products can help the patient accept their scar while it’s in the process of maturing better,” says Perkins.
Massage your Scar.
Gently massaging a scar after the area is well healed but within the first six month of the injury can help.” What you do is help to break down the scar maturation ,” says Thomas. “In a practical sense , you’re helping to stretch out and soften the scar.”
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