Scars

Scars form due to several reasons, and they have different shapes and types. Some of them may fade away on their own, and others require a treatment.

Scars

Scars are the process in which the skin heals itself after being damaged or wounded, and this occurs by creating new tissue to fill the gap caused by the injury, and this tissue is mainly made of collagen.

Types of scars

• Keloid scars: They are thick, irregular clusters above the skin’s surface and spread beyond the edges of the borders of the wound.
• Hypertrophic scars: They are similar to keloid scars, but they don’t grow out of the wounded area.
• Contractures: They develop after a massive area of the skin is damaged and lost. They may make moving hard because the tightened skin may affect the joints, muscles, and tendons.
• Atrophic scars: They often result from acne or chickenpox, and they look like small pits.
• Stretch marks: They result when the skin expands or shrinks rapidly, like when gaining or losing a lot of weight, during pregnancy, or during puberty.

Internal scars: They form between unconnected internal organs, such as abdominal adhesions.

Treatment of scars

Treating scars depends on the type, and it’s important to acknowledge that they can’t go away completely. Treatments include:

• Dermabrasion.
• Scar revision surgery.
• Corticosteroid injections.
• Collagen injections.
• Laser resurfacing.
• Chemical peels.
• Cryosurgery.
• Topical creams and ointments, such as silicone.