Scars - NHS

A scar is a mark left on the skin after a wound or injury has healed. Scars are a natural part of the healing process. Most will fade although they never ... Skiptomaincontent Home HealthAtoZ BacktoHealthAtoZ Overview - Scars Contents Overview Treatment Ascarisamarkleftontheskinafterawoundorinjuryhashealed.Scarsareanaturalpartofthehealingprocess.Mostwillfadealthoughtheynevercompletelydisappear. Typesof scarsAscarcanbea finelineorapittedholeontheskin,oranabnormalovergrowthoftissue.Normalfine-linescarsAminorwoundlikeacutwillusuallyhealtoleavearaisedline,whichwillgraduallyfadeandflattenovertime.Thisprocesscantakeupto2years.Thescarwillnotdisappearcompletelyandyou'llbeleftwithavisiblemarkorline.Fine-linescarsarecommonfollowingawoundoraftersurgery.Theyarenotusuallypainful,buttheymaybeitchyforafewmonths.KeloidscarsAkeloidscarisanovergrowthoftissuethathappenswhentoomuchcollagenisproducedatthesiteofawound.Thescarkeepsgrowing,evenafterthewoundhashealed.Keloidscarsareraisedabovetheskinandcanbepink,red,thesamecolourordarkerthansurroundingskin.They'reoftenitchyorpainful,andcanrestrictmovementifthey'retightandnearajoint.HypertrophicscarsLikekeloidscars,hypertrophicscarsaretheresultofexcesscollagenbeingproducedatthesiteofawound.Unlikekeloidscars,hypertrophicscarsdonotextendbeyondtheboundaryoftheoriginalwound.Theymaycontinuetothickenforupto6monthsbeforegraduallyimprovingoverafewyears.Pitted orsunkenscarsSome scarscausedbyskinconditions,suchas acneandchickenpox,canhaveasunkenorpittedappearance.Pittedscars,alsoknownasatrophicor"ice-pick"scars,canalsodevelopasaresultofaninjurythatcausesaloss ofunderlyingfat.ScarcontracturesScarcontracturesareoften causedbyburns.Theyhappenwhentheskin"shrinks",leadingtotightnessandarestrictioninmovement. TreatingscarsCompletescarremovalisnotpossible,butmostscarswillgraduallyfadeovertime.Anumberoftreatmentsareavailablethatmayimproveascar'sappearanceandhelpmakeitlessvisible.Ifscarringisunsightly,uncomfortableorrestrictive,treatmentoptionsmayinclude:topicalsiliconegelorsiliconegelsheetspressuredressingssteroidsskincamouflage(make-up)surgeryAcombinationoftreatmentscanoftenbeused.Readmoreabouttreatingscars EmotionaleffectsofscarringScarringcanaffectyoubothphysicallyandpsychologically.A scar,particularlyifit'sonyourface,canbeverydistressing.Thesituationcanbemadeworseifyoufeelyou'rebeingstaredat.Ifyouavoidmeetingpeoplebecauseofyourappearance,it'seasytobecomesociallyisolated.Thiscanleadtodepression.SeeaGPifyoufeelyourscarsaremakingyoudepressed,orifthey'reaffectingyourdailyactivities.Readmoreabout livingwithfacialdisfigurementandimprovingself-esteem. Helpandsupport A numberofsupportgroupsandorganisationsprovidehelpandadviceforpeoplelivingwithscarring.Theseinclude:BritishAssociationofSkinCamouflageChangingFacesChildren'sBurnsClubChildren'sBurnsTrustScarInformationService HowscarsnormallyformScarringispartofthebody'snaturalhealingprocessaftertissueisdamaged.Whentheskiniswounded,thetissuesbreak,whichcausesaproteincalledcollagentobereleased.Collagenbuildsupwherethetissueisdamaged,helpingtohealandstrengthenthewound.Newcollagencontinuesformingforseveralmonthsandthebloodsupplyincreases,causingthescartobecomeraisedandlumpy.Intime,somecollagenbreaksdownatthesiteofthewoundandthebloodsupplyreduces.Thescargraduallybecomessmootherandsofter.Althoughscarsarepermanent,theycanfadeoveraperiodofupto2years.It'sunlikelythey'llfadeanymoreafterthistime. StretchmarksStretchmarks arenarrowstreaksorlinesthatappearontheskin'ssurfacewhenthedeeperlayerofskin(dermis)tears.They'reoftencausedbyhormonalchangesduringpregnancyorpuberty,orasaresultofbodybuildingorhormonereplacementtherapy. Pagelastreviewed:23October2020 Nextreviewdue:23October2023 Next : Treatment