How to Fade and Heal Scars to Look and Feel Your Best
© Michelle Howard Smith - All Rights Reserved
Unless you live in a plastic bubble with no access to germs or accidents, you have experienced a scar forming at some time in your life. Finding a person who does not have at least one scar on their body is rare (I believe non-existent) and if you find that person, they belong in the Guiness Book of World Records. That's because scarring is inevitable. Even if you have never had surgery, chances are you've received a scrape or bruise which will lead to, you guessed it...a scar. It doesn't have to be a huge one but scarring is a normal process. Let me further explain.
Causes of Scars:
Scarring is a result of the natural healing process after a surgical procedure, illness, infection or injury. Collagen growth forms beneath the skin during the healing process. The severity of the wound as well as the location of it, will determine how the skin heals which in turn influences the size and type of scarring. Age, skin health and even race play a part in how your skin heals when exposed to trauma.
Contrary to what is popularly taught even by some doctors, many scars can be completely eliminated. Some are more difficult than others but even if a scar can not be completely "erased", it is possible to greatly minimize it's appearance. First, it's important to discover the type of scar you have as well as how long you have had it before determining a course of treatment.
Different types of scars:
Blemishes from Acne - Resulting from bacterial infections in the skin
Keloids - A raised, tumor like thickened skin tissue. This type of scar is most common darker ethnic skin.
Atrophic - A sunken in scar that goes deep as a hole in the skin. A loss of skin tissue has been experienced.
Hypertrophic - raised and usually disappears over time
Depending on the amount of pigment in your skin, scars can appear red. This is due to an excessive amount of healing tissue and blood vessels form that the body delivers to try and increase healing. People of color may have less of an appearance of reddened scarring.
Scar Treatments
While some scars are miniscule, others can cause problems that go beyond a physical discomfort. Depending on the type of scar, emotional and self-esteem issues can arise.
So, let's learn to fade scars with knowledge so that you can discover the best scar treatment for your skin. There are 5 ways to treat scars:
Injections - Collagen or Saline injections can be used to raise atrophic scars. Botox is a temporary injection and helps by restoring elasticity to the surrounding area; Steroid injections can be used to address keloids and hypertrophic scars.
Prescription Medication - in the form of cream, gels or ointments
Over the counter medication - topical scar removal creams or gels such as Mederma
Surgery - The most risky of all treatments, surgery is one of the options you have that can greatly reduce the appearance of scars. However, it does come with risks as do all surgeries. Also, choosing surgery also promotes additional scarring which you have no way of knowing until you begin the healing process.
Alternative Therapies - The safest of the bunch, Cold Laser Therapy and the use of natural substances such as Wheat Germ Oil, Aloe Vera and Vitamin E can be very effective at visibly reducing the appearance of scars. It may take longer but is worth the wait for safety. After double foot surgery, cold laser therapy in conjunction with daily wheat germ oil applications have reduced the appearance of my scarring by 40% to date and the scarring is still reducing. See pic to the right ~~~>
Scar Prevention
The best way to address scarring is by preventing one in the first place. While it's not always possible, due to the severity of the injured skin, properly cleansing the area and applying anti-inflammatory agents (natural or otherwise) helps to reduce the instance of a life long, visible scar. Also, very important is to make sure you do not pick any scabs. This increases the chances of a scar forming.
An advocate for women of color
seeking to have healthier skin by natural means, Michelle Howard helps
with this pursuit by providing an array of information and skin care
resources. Subscribe to her Skin Natural newsletter for monthly tips and beauty information and receive a Basically Beautiful Tips Guide.
