Whenever our skin is damaged, no matter how it happened, the body begins to work on healing the wound. As the skin heals, a scar may form – this is a natural healing process.
The appearance of scars often depends on how well the wound heals. Despite the fact that it is difficult to avoid scars after knees and elbows knocked down in childhood, or after surgical interventions, scars from small cuts or scratches can be made completely invisible, or get rid of them altogether, with proper home care.
Here are some tips from a dermatologist on how to avoid scarring from knocked knees or deep scrapes:
- Always keep cuts, scrapes or other skin lesions clean. Wash the affected area with soap and water to remove foreign debris or prevent germs from entering the wound.
- To speed up the healing of damaged skin, use lanolin or petroleum jelly to keep the wound always moisturized. Vaseline will protect the wound from drying out and prevent the formation of a crust; Crusted wounds take longer to heal. Vaseline will also help prevent large or deep scars, as well as itching at the injury site. If you wash the wound every day and keep it clean, you won’t need to use antibacterial ointments.
- After you wash the wound and apply Vaseline or other similar ointment, cover the wound with an adhesive plaster. If you have a large scratch, inflammation of the wound, burn or persistent redness, use hydrogel or silicone gel pads.
- Change the dressing every day to keep the wound clean. Do not use adhesive tape, if your skin is very sensitive, use a gauze bandage. When using hydrogel pads, follow the instructions for changing pads.
- If the wound has stitches, follow your dermatologist’s advice for caring for the wound before removing the stitches. This will help minimize scar formation.
- Use sunscreen for several months after the wound has healed. Sunscreen will help reduce the appearance of red or brown skin, and the scar will resolve faster. Use a high sun protection factor, minimum SPF 30 or higher. Apply the cream as often as possible.
If you have minor cuts or scrapes, proper home care can help prevent a scar from appearing. However, if the damage is too deep, painful, or the skin becomes infected, consult a doctor immediately.
Although some scars do not disappear completely, they may become invisible over time. If you are concerned that a skin injury may leave a scar, consult a qualified dermatologist. A dermatologist will answer all your questions and tell you about ways to make the scar less noticeable.
You can make an appointment with a dermatologist on the website of our medical center
or by phone: +7 495 1200107