The formation of scars is a part of our body’s natural healing process. In fact, even minor wounds results in the formation of scars on our body. Scars are formed when we damage the deep layer of our skin in any way.
The natural healing system of our body forms new collagen fibers for fixing the damage caused to the skin, thus resulting in the formation of scars.
Appearance of Scars
In most of the cases, the scar formed on the skin is flat in appearance. However, in case the body produces excessive amounts of collages, the scar may look raised. Occasionally, they may even appear sunken or pitted, in case the skin supporting structures like muscles or fat are compromised due to injury. This is usually seen with acne scars and surgical scars. In cases like pregnancy when the skin stretches rapidly, scars appear in the form of stretch marks.
Types of Scars
This kind of scar is caused due to over-aggressive healing extending beyond the injury. This kind of scar can even encumber mobility after a while.
This kind of scar is usually a result of burning, where the skin gets tightened and reaches deeper to affect the nerves and muscles.
These are red and raised in appearance but do not reach beyond the periphery of the wound.
These scars range from wavelike or angular scarring to pitting appearance.
Treatment of Scars
Various medical treatments are available for treatment of different kinds of scars such as surgery for altering its appearance, steroid injections for softening and flattening the scars, laser resurfacing for removing skin’s top layer, or dermabrasion for removing the skin’s surface through special equipment. Fat and collagen injections are also used to raise sunken scars. However, it can be beneficial to try some home remedies for getting rid of scars before going for any medical procedure.
Home Remedies for Treatment of Scars
Application of the gel extracted from the leaves of the Aloe Vera plant on fresh wounds can help in avoiding formation of the scar tissues.
Lemon juice works as a wonderful bleaching agent, thus making it useful for treating superficial scarring.
Prepare a tonic by boiling fenugreek seeds in water for few minutes. Application of this tonic on the face works as a great remedy for treating acne scars.
Honey applied on scars several times each day helps to get rid of the scar to a great extent.
Topically applying Vitamin E works as a great remedy for scar treatment.
Rubbing ice cube on the surface of the skin helps in shrinking the pores, thus reducing appearance of acne scars.
Massaging almond oil on the scar multiple times each day is known to be effective in reducing its appearance.Various essential oils include olive, lavender, coconut, tea tree, and cod liver oil are also found to be beneficial for reducing scars’ appearance.
Using topical exfoliants and face masks to remove dead cells from the surface of the skin helps in promote re-growth of healthy skin cells, which can be effective for getting rid of some kinds of scars.
A particular massage technique known as rolling helps in healing scars as it promotes break down of the stiff scar tissues.However, this technique should be practiced only after the scar has healed completely. In case you experience any tenderness or discomfort, stop the massage immediately.