Scars Overview
A scar forms when a thick, deep layer called the dermis is damaged. The body attempts to fix the damage by forming new collagen tissue that has a slightly different texture and color surrounding the existing tissue.
There are types of scarring that occurs. Raised scars occur when the body overproduces collage and are known as hypertrophic scars or keloid scars and are common in people who are younger with darker-skin tones. Other scars are sunken in and pitted and occur when parts of the skin structures are lost. These scars are typically caused by acne and surgery.
The most common treatments elected by scar victim include topical creams and ointments. Non-topical methods are common for those experiencing severe scars, but can also prove to be costly and time consuming. Surgery is often performed to render a scar less noticeable. It is not recommended for raised scars as it can further damage and cause additional scarring. Injections of steroids for these kinds of scars are more often recommended as they will flatten out the scar.
Dermabrasion is a treatment used to resurface the skin with special equipment. It is often useful for raised scars but has little effect on sunken and pitted scars. Alternatively, microdermabrasion is a less invasive procedure often used for less serious scarring. Similar to dermabrasion, laser resurfacing achieves similar results with less recovery time.
A scar is the result of the body’s process of repairing wounds in the skin. It is part of the natural healing process of the body and occurs in some degree by most all wounds. A scar can result from surgeries, accidents, diseases, acne, pregnancy, and severe weight gain or loss.
