Scars and how to prevent keloids
Most of us have the odd scar on our body, whether it was caused by an injury or accident, burn, surgery, growth marks or acne, and there are many questions we have about it.
can they be eliminated? What affects healing? How can we avoid hypertrophy? Should we avoid the sun? What are keloids? can we avoid them?
At IOOXLabs you will find the answers you are looking for. But before we learn how to treat them, we must understand what they are.
Why do scars occur?
Scarring is a permanent alteration in which our skin is able to repair itself. But it doesn't always do it in a similar way to the original. Instead, a fabric with different texture, color, vascularization and flexibility is created. Especially when the skin is subjected to great stress, such as during surgery, where mobility problems can also develop.
How these changes occur will depend on each individual, on the area in which they occurred, but also on the care that occurs during the healing process. That is why it is very important to take them into account and carry them out correctly.
Types of scars
1. Atrophic Atrophic scars have a sunken appearance (due to a lack of collagen), and are usually pinkish or whitish in color. Typical: acne, chickenpox.
2. Hypertrophic Hypertrophic scars appear raised and disfigured, but remain where the original injury was. They are formed just after the wound heals, due to an excessive production of connective tissue. They can be itchy and because they are high you may have a risk of infection.
3. Keloids Keloids appear firm and irregular and usually go beyond the margins of the wound (on healthy skin). They develop some time after healing and can be: due to an excessive production of connective tissue, due to genetic predisposition (such as dark skin), or when they are located in areas subject to high tension. They are pinkish or dark violet in color and usually cause pain or tenderness in the affected area. Typical: surgical intervention, caesarean sections, prosthesis, laparoscopy.
Treatment
The scars are not completely removed, instead they soften and become less visible. This will depend on the healing capacity of each person and the care taken during the process.
Care
It is important to follow the care recommended by the doctor regarding the disinfection and rest of the area, especially if it comes after surgery. As we have mentioned before, the love we give him during the healing period will directly affect his final state.
Some tips with which we can influence your final state are:
1. Avoid strong temperature variations such as intense radiation, saunas or extreme cold. Scars tend to pigment very easily with sun exposure. Sun exposure should be avoided for at least the first few months, and remember that the healing process can last up to a year!
2. Apply a cosmetic product such as rosehip or containing moisturizing oils with a high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, formulated for example with oat oil and vitamin E. Adequate hydration in the area is especially important throughout the healing process.
The other great allies are silicone gel patches, which prevent and treat hypertrophy or keloid. They have demonstrated efficacy in reducing recent or old hypertrophic scars and keloids. They are easy to use and have a low level of side effects, making them effective and safe. They protect against sunlight, flatten scar tissue, increase elasticity and reduce color changes, achieving a more aesthetic scar.
When to apply them? The sooner, the better! Once the scar is completely closed, without stitches or scabs. Remembering that the older the scar, the slower the process will be. Whatever your case, it is recommended to apply them gradually: starting with 2 hours of application on the first day and then increasing to a total of 24 hours.
3. Massage the area daily: following a massage schedule will considerably improve the appearance of the area. To do this, we can use an emollient cream formulated with silicone and massage with circular movements for half an hour.
Now you know that we may not be able to eliminate the scar, but if we can reduce its size, we can anticipate a complication and improve its appearance simply by taking care of it with the right means. Prevention remains one of the most important points, especially in cases where the development of a hypertrophic or keloid scar is suspected.
We hope that the article has been of great help to you!