Each of us has scars. Some even have a few or more of them. We pay different attention to them. On the one hand, popular opinion is against scars that mar the natural appearance of our skin. On the other hand, scars are the most ordinary thing in the world, each of us, coming into the world, gets our first scar – it is the navel. But what to do when scarring becomes a source of serious discomfort and we believe it is bad for our outward appearance?
What is a scar?
A scar is a change in the structure of our skin tissue that has occurred as a result of the body’s natural self-regeneration process following an injury. Fibrous tissue – which is one of the layers of human skin – is directly responsible for the appearance of a scar.
The mechanism of the skin healing process is quite simple. As the wound surface solidifies, the gap in the skin – created after the injury – is filled with new tissue. It consists of collagen fibers, which, when arranged in a disorderly and chaotic manner, do not perfectly reproduce the previous state of our skin. Instead, collagen fibers tend to form a slight protrusion, as a result of which the resulting scar can be clearly distinguished from the surrounding healthy tissue.. Scars are also less vascularized than the rest of the skin that covers us. This is the reason why the color of the scar is often different from that of our skin – scars tend to be paler, lighter and less sensitive to the touch.
Scars can arise not only as a result of mechanical damage to the surface of our body. They also appear as a result of inflammation in certain parts of the skin, especially the face. We are then dealing with acne scars. Scars are also formed as a result of burns, although then their appearance may differ significantly from the average post-traumatic scar. Finally, scars result from a surgical operation such as suturing torn or severed parts of the skin together.
A solution for scars can be silicone scar patches from the Medonet Market offer.
The appearance of the scar changes as it heals. The first stage is the formation of the so-called scab immediately after damage to the body’s surface. During this stage, inflammation most often arises, as a result of which the wound area is cleared of dangerous microbes.
After the scab falls off, the newly formed skin is initially clearly red. The color changes over time, approaching the natural color of our skin. Unfortunately, a scar is never quite like it. This is due to structural changes in the skin layers that make up the scar. It lacks the natural amount of pigment for us. The scars are also devoid of hair follicles; for this reason, the scarred area will remain hairless forever.
Can a scar be removed?
Treatment of changes in the structure of the skin, such as scars, is a relatively new field of medicine. Nevertheless, progress in recent decades has significantly improved the situation of people who would like to part with their scars. It is worth noting at the very beginning that the visibility of scars can be significantly reduced, and some of them can be completely eliminated. The effect depends on factors such as the individual properties of our skin, the age of the scar (the older it is, the more difficult it will be to get rid of it), its location on our skin or its origins.
Burn scars require specialized measures and practices. These include the so-called tourniquets as well as dressings soaked in a specialized gel. Removal of burn scars is best used in conjunction with pressure treatment, which consists in applying pressure to the scar several times a day. Such treatment should last at least several months.
Specialist preparations intended for surface application, such as creams, gels, peelings and silicone-based preparations, are very popular. You can get them at a pharmacy or a specialist store. The duration of such measures is shorter than for tourniquets – usually from several weeks to several months.
Laser scar removal
The practice of laser scar removal is becoming more and more popular. It is used to remove scars of various origins, but mainly acne scars. This type of scar usually causes low self-esteem in the person with it. The use of a laser is particularly safe in this case. It allows you to smooth the surface of the skin, reduces convexities, also stimulates the improvement of its blood supply, skin tension and – thanks to stimulating the secretion of collagen – also its color.
See also: Patches for scars – application and contraindications
Laser scar removal is a procedure the price of which depends largely on the size of the scar you want to get rid of. Therefore, the price list for such a service is quite wide and ranges from PLN 100 to several thousand. The constantly growing demand for laser scar removal has made this procedure available in many places in Poland – Warsaw, Poznań, Krakow and others.