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10 Dos and Don’ts for Scar Prevention

Scars are a natural part of the body’s healing process. When skin is damaged from an accident or injury, the body builds new tissue made from collagen to close those gaps, according to the Cleveland Clinic. “Scars form after the healing process because the new collagen made to fill in the wound is not the same texture as the surrounding skin,” explains Jill Salyards, DO, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Refine Dermatology in Knoxville, Tennessee. “Most wounds result in some degree of scarring, except for very superficial wounds on the surface.”

Not all scars are the same. The type of scar and its final appearance are, in part, influenced by how the wound is cared for while it’s healing. The severity of the wound can also determine the degree of scarring. “The deeper the injury, the greater the likelihood of scarring,” says Jeremy Brauer, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Spectrum Skin and Laser in Purchase, New York. Scars are typically flat or raised. Normal wounds should yield flat scars, which are similar in color to your skin tone and flatten over time. These are less visible than raised scars, such as keloid and hypertrophic scars, which form from thick tissue and can appear dark and red compared to the surrounding skin. Stretch marks are also a type of scar.

Scars that stand out can draw unwanted attention and create insecurities, so some people may want to prevent or minimize them while the wound is still healing. Others may want to improve painful or uncomfortable scars. But preventing scars is ultimately a personal decision. If your scars don’t cause any uncomfortable side effects, such as pain or itching, there’s no reason to worry about treatment. Some people may even be proud of their scars, such as women who have undergone C-sections or other people who have been through serious health events and see their scars as battle wounds.

How you care for a wound can minimize or even prevent scarring if you wish to do so, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). With that in mind, here are 10 dos and don’ts to prevent fresh wounds from leaving scars.

1. Do Keep the Wound Clean

Broken skin from a wound increases the risk of infection from germs, per the National Library of Medicine. It will heal in stages, and dermatologists recommend keeping the wound clean throughout the entire process.

“Immediately after a wound occurs, it should be kept clean,” Dr. Salyards says. Your first instinct may be to grab a bottle of hydrogen peroxide or other antiseptic, but she says this could actually make scarring worse. “Hydrogen peroxide can increase inflammation and destruction to the healing skin, increasing scarring,” she explains. Antiseptics like rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide can kill skin tissue and shouldn’t be used to clean wounds, according to a review published in 2019 in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open.

Dr. Brauer suggests continuing to clean the wound until it’s fully healed. Don’t overthink it — the AAD recommends keeping wounds clean with mild soap and water. The Cleveland Clinic also says soap and water are the way to go, adding that you should wash and dry your hands first.

2. Don’t Wait Too Long to Get Stitches

Medical intervention isn’t always necessary for wounds to heal, but depending on the severity of your wound, you might benefit from getting stitches. Scars form after the wound is healed, and getting stitches can help close and heal the wound quicker. They may also help minimize the appearance of scarring, per the AAD.

You might want to wait to see if deep cuts improve on their own before getting stitches, but dermatologists recommend against this. “If stitches are needed, they must be sewn as soon as possible when the injury is new,” says Aanand N. Geria, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Geria Dermatology in Rutherford, New Jersey. “If too much time passes, germs or bacteria can accumulate in the wound and a dermatologist may elect not to stitch because of the risk of infection.”

If you are unsure whether you need stitches, Dr. Geria suggests seeing a doctor immediately for further evaluation.

3. Do Keep the Wound Moist

After cleaning the wound, keep it moist to prevent scars, Brauer says. “Generally, any emollient like petrolatum will delay scab formation,” he says. According to a previous review, keeping wounds moist results in reduced scar formation, compared with treatment in dry environments. Plenty of research has been done on wet, moist, and dry healing for scar formation, and wet or moist healing has been shown to achieve the fastest healing and least amount of scarring, per a review in the International Journal of Inflammation.

“Moisturize with petroleum jelly and cover with a bandage,” recommends Salyards. “This should be continued until the open wound is completely healed with new skin or until sutures are removed.”

4. Don’t Pick at the Wound

In general, dermatologists recommend against picking at your skin under any circumstances. Whether it’s an active breakout or fresh wound, picking at it seems to make matters worse. It can worsen acne and scarring, per the AAD.

In addition to picking, refrain from scratching or manipulating wounds or newly formed scabs. “Picking at wounds during the healing process leads to increased inflammation and scarring,” Salyards says. It can also increase the risk of infection from bacteria on your hands.

Some people with dermatillomania compulsively pick at their skin, but this can lead to injury, infection, and scarring, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Picking your skin can reopen old wounds, ultimately delaying their healing.

So, let your skin recover naturally. You should only touch wounds with clean hands and only when you need to clean and moisturize them or change their dressings.

5. Do Use a Wound Dressing

A wound dressing comes into direct contact with the wound. It helps protect the wound, keep it moist, and prevent it from exposure to the surrounding environment. Dressings like bandages and gauze help keep the wound clean and should be changed often, per the Mayo Clinic. Some dressings remove wound drainage and dead tissue when changed, according to the National Library of Medicine.

“Keep wounds covered with a dressing that has a nonstick surface,” Brauer recommends. “Don’t expose the wound to air or let it dry out.” Dressings may use a glue or adhesive to stick to the surrounding skin, however.

Wearing a wound dressing also has the benefit of applying pressure to the wound, per the AAD, which recommends pressure therapy for reducing and preventing scars.

6. Don’t Skip Sun Protection

Ideally, everyone should wear sunscreen on a daily basis. It protects against skin cancer and sun damage, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. If you’re dealing with a recent wound and want to reduce the potential scarring, dermatologists say to take sun protection even more seriously.

“Wearing SPF 30 or greater daily and reapplying every two hours while outdoors is the general recommendation,” Salyards says. “Sunscreen use can be effective in preventing scars.” Brauer suggests taking it a step further and keeping the area out of sunlight altogether.

Essentially, shielding your scar from the sun can help it fade faster. If you’ve ever gotten a tan, you’re familiar with the process of sunlight making skin appear darker, and scars are no exception to this phenomenon. According to a previous review, protection from ultraviolet (UV) rays reduced scar hyperpigmentation from a pigment called melanin from being produced.

The AAD recommends choosing a broad-spectrum and water-resistant sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher for daily use. Other ways to protect skin against harmful UV rays include seeking shade, wearing sun-protective clothing, and avoiding indoor tanning beds.

7. Do Use Silicone Scar Sheets

Although petroleum jelly and vitamin E haven’t been proven effective at reducing scars, per the National Library of Medicine, silicone scar gels and gel sheets have. Other options may still be beneficial for keeping an open wound moist, but the dermatologists we spoke to recommend switching to silicone sheets for scar prevention once the wound is healed.

“Silicone scar sheets can help prevent or improve new scars if used right after an injury,” says Geria, adding that it’s important to use them during the first year a scar is present. After that, they may not be as effective. So don’t waste any time.

The effectiveness of silicone gel and gel sheets is nothing new. They remain the preferred, first-line treatment of scar management among healthcare professionals, according to a previous review. A meta-analysis published in 2020 in International Wound Journal suggests silicone gel significantly reduces scar pigmentation and height, with sheets being just as effective.

“Silicone scar gels or sheets should be used over the wound once it is healed, as it has been shown to be effective in scar prevention,” says Salyards. “When used regularly for 2 to 3 months, silicone has been shown to be effective in preventing and improving the appearance of scars.”

8. Don’t Overexert the Area

If you have a new scar, try not to move the area too much, per the Cleveland Clinic. “Stay still,” says Geria. “When a scar moves, it alters its formation and turns it into a thicker or wider scar,” he explains. “Do your best to allow the wound to heal by not overexerting the area.”

What you can do instead is gently massage the scar. “Gently massaging early on can greatly impact healing, especially during the first year,” says Geria, adding that this helps to break up tissue that could lead to thick scars. More research is needed, but massage therapy may alleviate pain and reduce scar thickness in hypertrophic and burn scars, according to a review published in 2020 in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.

9. Do Be Wary of Scar Creams and Topical Products

Before you reach for the best-selling scar creams, think twice. Some dermatologists are skeptical about whether they’re worthwhile. “Not all scar creams are created equally,” Salyards says. Her recommendation is generally to use silicone sheets in lieu of scar creams.

If you’d like to use a scar cream, opt for one with silicone gel. Silicone gel and silicone scar sheets have been shown to be equally effective, according to a trial published in 2020 in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open. Both significantly improve scar outcomes, while the evidence for other topical scar managements is lacking, per a review published in 2020 in Dermatologic Surgery.

10. Don’t Have Unrealistic Expectations

Wounds take time to heal, and any resulting scars take time to fade. You’ll have to be patient and set realistic expectations for how your scars will look and potentially improve.

Even if you do everything right — keep your wounds clean and moist, use silicone scar sheets, wear sunscreen, and so on — some factors are out of your control. Some people are more prone to keloid scars, such as people with darker skin tones, according to one review.

It’s also unlikely that a scar will disappear completely. Scars are permanent, though some fade over time. If your scars bother you, some treatments can help make their appearance less visible.

Getting Treatment for Scars

Preventing wounds is the best way to prevent scarring, but caring for active wounds is the next best thing. Keep your wound clean and moist by washing it with warm, soapy water and using wound dressings like gauze. Once the broken skin has healed, swap out dressings for silicone gel scar sheets, which are the gold standard for minimizing fresh scars. With consistent use, you can expect to see improvements within a couple of months.

With time, scars naturally fade on their own. Yet keloid scars don’t go away. Depending on the type of scar, treatments at a dermatologist’s office may help. According to John Hopkins Medicine, the following scar treatments are available:

• Lasers
• Dermabrasion
• Chemical peels
• Collagen or steroid injections
• Surgical revision
• Cryosurgery
• Skin grafts

Talk to your dermatologist to determine the right scar treatment for you.

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Scars, or scars – the causes of appearance, in what diseases it occurs, diagnosis and methods of treatment

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Scars, or scars: the causes of the appearance, in what diseases they occur, diagnosis and methods of treatment.

Definition

A scar is a visible, palpable skin change formed after wound healing and is a rough connective tissue that lacks hair follicles and sweat glands.

The scar goes through several stages of formation.

1st stage – inflammation and epithelialization. Its duration is from a week to 10 days – the edges of the wound come together due to the formation of granulation tissue.

If during this period there was no infection or re-injury of the wound, and also if the skin damage was not too deep, then a barely noticeable scar will appear at the site of the injury.

Stage 2 – the formation of a “young” scar. It can last up to a month from the moment of injury. A “young” scar is bright pink and stretches easily. New collagen and elastin fibers begin to form.

3rd stage – the formation of a “mature” scar. Its duration is up to three months. At this time, the collagen and elastin fibers are organized into bundles, the blood supply to the scar is reduced and it becomes less bright.

If during this period there is a repeated injury, then the scar can develop into a hypertorophic one.

Stage 4 – the final maturation of the scar, which occurs about a year after the injury. The scar becomes dense and pale (compared to the surrounding skin) – this is due to the excessive tension of collagen fibers and a very small number of blood vessels in the scar area.

Varieties of scars (scars)

The division of scars occurs on the basis of their correspondence to the level of the skin surface.

Normotrophic scars are located flush with the surface of the surrounding skin. They are usually whitish, flat and do not extend beyond the edges of the injury.

Atrophic scars are located below the level of the surrounding healthy skin, which is explained by the lack of collagen and elastin fibers in them. Such cicatricial changes include, for example, striae (stretch marks), the effects of chickenpox and post-acne scars.

Hypertrophic scars protrude above the surface of the skin, but do not go beyond the boundaries of the wound. Their color matches the color of the surrounding skin or is slightly pinker. Hypertrophic scars also include keloids – scars that are prone to constant growth, which is accompanied by itching, soreness and burning. They rise strongly above the surface of the skin, go beyond the boundaries of the wound, can be red, burgundy or cyanotic, which is explained by their rich blood supply.

Possible causes of scars

Scars can remain on the skin after any injury that penetrates the dermal layer – purulent inflammation, deep incision (including after surgery), thermal or chemical burns, exposure to radiation.

Cicatricial changes in the skin are formed after some diseases of the skin and subcutaneous fatty tissue, for example, after acne and demodicosis.

A special group consists of patients with connective tissue dysplasia. Pathological scarring in the form of hypertrophic and keloid scars, striae, wide atrophic scars of the “tissue paper” type is explained in them by the peculiarity of collagen formation.

Which doctors to contact if a scar appears

Dermato-cosmetologists, laser therapists and surgeons deal with the correction of cicatricial deformities of the skin.

Diagnostics and examinations in case of scarring

To select the treatment tactics, the doctor examines the scar tissue, finds out the “age” of the scar and the circumstances under which the injury was received – incised wounds heal more smoothly, crushed, chopped and torn wounds heal worse forecast.

Instrumental diagnostics is required in cases where it is necessary to determine the condition of underlying tissues.

• Soft tissue ultrasound.

Ultrasound of soft tissues

Examination of soft tissues to detect pathological changes and diagnose neoplasms.

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Laboratory methods are used for long-term non-healing and inflamed wounds.

• Clinical blood test.

Clinical blood test: general analysis, leukoformula, ESR (with microscopy of a blood smear in the presence of pathological changes)

Synonyms: Complete blood count, UAC. Full blood count, FBC, Complete blood count (CBC) with differential white blood cell count (CBC with diff), Hemogram.
Brief description of the study CBC: general a…

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Culture of wound discharge and tissues for microflora and determination of sensitivity to an extended spectrum of antimicrobials

Synonyms:
Wound/tissue Culture. Aerobic Bacteria Identification and Antibiotic Susceptibility extended testing.
Brief description of the study “Sowing wound discharge and tissues for microflora and determination . ..

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How to deal with scars

In order to prevent the formation of coarse scar tissue in case of skin injury, it is necessary to create all conditions for the favorable course of the first stage of scarring – without purulent inflammation and additional traumatization. The cleaner the wound and the faster its edges “stick together”, the more elastic the scar will be. Otherwise, there is a risk of developing pathological scarring.

It is important to protect the scarred skin from the sun so that it does not become hyperpigmented.

If the patient has a tendency to form coarse scar tissue, or if the next of kin has such a tendency, the doctor should be informed. Currently, there are drugs and methods to avoid or reduce the risk of formation of pathological scar tissue.

Treatment

You need to seek medical help immediately after receiving a deep skin injury: the doctor will treat the wound, remove non-viable tissues and foreign particles (if any have penetrated the wound), apply stitches and a bandage.

For the correction of existing scars, there is a whole arsenal of techniques, methods and their combinations into combined protocols. When choosing, the doctor focuses on the location of the scar, the depth and angle of damage, and the individual characteristics of the patient. Some therapies are contraindicated in patients with bleeding disorders, those who have taken isotretinoin or glucocorticosteroids for a long time (the last 6 months before the start of treatment), people with decompensated forms of diabetes mellitus, with a hereditary predisposition to keloid formation.

Treatment of scars can be divided into conservative and surgical.

Conservative treatment includes occlusive dressings with silicone gel, patches with glucocorticosteroids, compression therapy, injections of glucocorticoids and botulinum toxin A, cryodestruction with liquid nitrogen, electro- and phonophoresis, chemical peeling.

Surgical techniques include surgical excision of scar tissue, laser destruction and mechanical abrasion (currently it is rarely used due to significant trauma). The essence of the surgical technique lies in the excision of the edges of the cicatricial deformity and their suturing. It is not used in the tactics of maintaining a keloid scar.

Among ablative laser technologies, there are two tactics of management: total (solid) destruction-polishing and fractional destruction-polishing.

For the correction of keloid scars, various combined protocols are chosen, the essence of which at the first stage is to suppress the blood supply to the scar tissue and transfer the course of the process into a hypertrophic scar, at the second stage, the tactics of correcting a conventional hypertrophic scar are used.

Fractional non-ablative laser treatment is recommended for treatment of atrophic scars and striae.

Sources:

1. Federal clinical guidelines for the management of patients with keloid and hypertrophic scars. Russian Society of Dermatovenerologists and Cosmetologists. 2015.
2. Clinical protocol for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with cicatricial skin lesions. Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and Dental Surgeons. 2014. – 40 p.
3. Kovaleva L.N. A modern differentiated approach to the complex treatment and prevention of skin scars of various etiologies. Dermatovenerology. Cosmetology. Sexopathology. No. 1-4, 2016. S. 188-198.

IMPORTANT!

The information in this section should not be used for self-diagnosis or self-treatment. In case of pain or other exacerbation of the disease, only the attending physician should prescribe diagnostic tests. For diagnosis and proper treatment, you should contact your doctor.
For a correct assessment of the results of your analyzes in dynamics, it is preferable to do studies in the same laboratory, since different laboratories may use different research methods and units of measurement to perform the same analyzes.

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How to make it so that there is no scar.

How to prevent scars

Scars can result from any skin injury – burns, cuts, surgery, and even a pimple. Fortunately, today there are a huge number of methods of getting rid of them. However, first you have to understand what kind of scar is hiding on the skin. Indeed, due to a number of factors (individual reaction of the body, depth of damage, etc.), they are not the same – scars differ in appearance. For example, normotrophic scars are whitish, flat and do not change the skin relief. Atrophic – flabby, located below the surrounding tissues. Hypertrophic scars, on the other hand, protrude above the surface of the skin and usually have a pink tint. Keloid, as a rule, strongly protrude: they are clearly defined, elastic, with an uneven surface. They differ from other scars in their ability to grow constantly, as a result of which the volume of the scar can be several times greater than the size of the wound.

Cryosurgery: quick freezing

You may be surprised, but some scars – keloid and hypertrophic – can be frozen. This method is called “cryolysis”. The procedure is as follows. A special applicator is moistened in a coolant (usually liquid nitrogen is used) and pressed several times against the scar until ice drizzle forms around it. The freezing and thawing phases are very painful, so the operation is performed under anesthesia. After deep cooling, the treated area of ​​the skin swells strongly, becomes wet and looks like a burn bladder. After a few days, it becomes covered with a dry crust, which in most cases disappears after a week. In place of the scab, a pink scar remains, which eventually becomes almost invisible.

To achieve the maximum cosmetic effect, ice procedures often have to be repeated 2-3 times.

Filling: additional volume

Atrophic scars, as if buried in the skin, can be filled with collagen, adipose tissue taken from other areas of the body, or special preparations with hyaluronic acid, which are used to increase the volume of the lips, cheekbones, cheeks, chin. After local anesthesia, several subcutaneous microinjections are made into the scar area, and it is instantly pulled up to the level of nearby tissues. Unfortunately, the cosmetic effect does not last long. None of the “fillers” can permanently get rid of the scar. They only fill the voids in the skin for a while, and then dissolve and are excreted from the body.

On average, the result of collagen injections lasts for 3-6 months. Gels with hyaluronic acid last from 6 months to a year, and adipose tissue – from six months to one and a half years. After the agent has resolved, the procedure can be repeated.

Dermabrasion: wipe at the root

In the fight against hypertrophic scars that have taken root in the deep layers of the dermis, the dermabrasion method is used. With special rotating brushes, or cutters, the specialist grinds scar tissue. There is little pleasant in this procedure, so it is carried out under anesthesia. If you’re afraid of the sight of blood, it’s best to close your eyes. Scarlet spots will certainly appear, because the specialist will remove not only the epidermis, but also the upper layer of the dermis. Luckily, it doesn’t take long to bleed. It stops after 10-30 minutes. In place of the worn skin, a scab appears over time, which disappears after a week. After that, the scar becomes almost invisible. Until a scab forms, the wound must be cared for to prevent infection. You may need to make bandages. The most unpleasant moment of dermabrasion is that it can aggravate a visible skin defect.

Keep in mind: if the scar is wider at the base, then after the procedure it will become more pronounced.

Microdermabrasion: gentle resurfacing

An alternative to dermabrasion is microdermabrasion, a gentler procedure. But with its help, you can change the appearance of only those scars that appeared as a result of injuries that affected the upper layer of the skin – for example, shallow atrophic or normotrophic. In this case, aluminum oxide powder is used as exfoliating particles. A stream of crystals is directed to the scar zone, which polish the surface layers of the epidermis. The process is so fast that it does not even have time to deliver discomfort. But this is not the only positive moment. With such grinding, the risk of earning a bacterial infection is minimized, since all materials are disposable. In addition, abrasive particles are often used in combination with oxygen, which has an antibacterial effect and promotes rapid skin regeneration. To obtain the best result, a course of procedures will be required, which makes sense to carry out after 7-10 days, during which a new layer of skin is formed.

Be prepared for unexpected expenses. Most likely, you will have to spend money on needle-free mesotherapy sessions using anti-scar serums. But an integrated approach provides a truly magical result.

Laser: let off steam

The skin is 70% water – this feature allows you to correct scars with lasers. In the treated area, the temperature rises to several hundred degrees, and the heated skin layer instantly turns into steam. In this case, you can not do without preliminary anesthesia. In the fight against scars, erbium and CO2 lasers are widely used. During grinding, the last epidermis is removed almost to the entire depth and the dermis is heated, resulting in active collagen synthesis. Erbium works more delicately. It penetrates only one thousandth of a millimeter and polishes the surface layers of the epidermis without thermal damage to the surrounding tissues. At the same time, the thermal effect does not extend to the dermis, and, consequently, collagen is not synthesized so actively.

Experts are not unanimous about which laser is preferable. Some believe that CO2 has a better effect on deep hypertrophic and atrophic scars, others note that after erbium resurfacing, the skin heals faster and there are fewer complications. In any case, these procedures are non-contact, so the wound is sterile.

Peeling: acid movement

Superficial peeling with glycolic acid is used to correct small normotrophic and atrophic scars. It works at the level of the epidermis. Gently penetrates the skin without damaging it, and exfoliates dead skin scales. As a result, old cells are destroyed, and young ones begin to work actively, creating new tissue. In the fight against deep scars, medium and deep peels with trichloroacetic or phenolic acid are necessary. They dissolve the epidermis and cause necrosis of the superficial layers of the dermis. The skin on the treated area darkens and becomes covered with a crust. Then comes the healing phase. The regenerative mechanisms of cell activity are launched, an increased collagen synthesis occurs, as a result of which the depth of the scar decreases.

To achieve the maximum effect, experts recommend several medium peels with an interval of 1-3 months. But, before doing this, it is necessary to undergo a course of superficial peels that will set the skin for the procedure.

Surgical: go under the knife

One of the radical ways to deal with scars is to go to the surgeon. This method is suitable for the correction of all types of scars, except for keloids. The latter often relapse. If the scar is not wide, it can be excised and an intradermal cosmetic suture applied. As a result, only a barely noticeable thread-like trace will remain from the scar. Scars of impressive size are removed with the help of plastics with skin grafting. The damaged area is excised and a skin flap taken from a healthy area of ​​the patient is planted in its place.

As an alternative method, operations are performed with silicone bags, or tissue expanders. Such a design is sewn under the skin next to the scar and sterile saline is periodically added to it to increase volume. The pouch grows, and the skin stretches along with it. When a sufficient excess of healthy tissue is formed, the slickon is removed, the scar is excised, and the edges of the skin are sutured.

Opinion of a specialist

Ekaterina Pozdeeva, director of medical work of the Linline Laser Medicine Clinics Network:

It is difficult to say what is the best time for scar correction. Some experts believe that the scar should be removed no later than a month from the date of injury. Others are sure that it is possible to fight effectively only with formed scars that are more than a year old. At the same time, both sides are unanimous in the opinion that much depends on the localization of the wound, the blood supply in its walls, the nature of the injury, its extent and the characteristics of the patient: age, heredity, tissue immunity.

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• What to do if

Almost every one of us has scars and scars. Indeed, for their occurrence, you do not need to receive serious injuries, it is enough to scratch, cut yourself, comb a rash or pimple, get a burn. And in order to prevent the appearance of a scar, you need to know how and because of what it occurs. After all, some scratches heal without a trace, and some leave traces on the skin.

What is a scar

The scar is the result of tissue regeneration. When the skin is damaged, it strives to regain its integrity as quickly as possible. At the site of the wound, a scar is formed from the connective tissue. The edges of the wound are tightened, and the connective tissue is covered with the epidermis – the uppermost thin layer of the skin. The deeper the wound, the rougher the scar looks. It is impossible to avoid the appearance of scars and scars, but they can be almost invisible.

Immediately after injury wash the wound
. You need to rinse with boiled water, if you are outside, buy non-carbonated mineral water. Your goal is to wash away the dirt that has entered the wound. Stop the bleeding.
Press a clean handkerchief or tissue onto the wound for a few minutes. Blood clots form in the pinched blood vessels, which will stop the blood flow. Disinfect the wound.
Use a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution for this. Never take iodine. Iodine will disinfect the wound, but will burn it. Iodine is used to disinfect around the wound, but never on the wound itself. As far as possible, bring the edges of the wound together. But you can not reduce the dirty edges, you can bring an infection that will complicate healing. If there is swelling near the wound, remove it.
The less swelling, the better the wound will heal, and the scar will be smaller. If you have been injured by a burn,
then first of all, you need to cool the wound. If you have a blister, then do not pierce it – you will bring the infection into the wound under it.

When to See a Doctor

If your wound is deep, seek medical attention. You yourself can not disinfect it well. In addition, with some injuries, it is necessary to sew the edges of the wound, which is impossible at home. If your wound becomes inflamed – the edges turn red and swell, fluid is constantly leaking from the wound, consult a doctor – an infection may have got into the wound. Then you will need specialized treatment.

Wound healing

When you’ve given first aid, don’t ignore the problem. Scars form for several weeks, all this time you need to monitor the condition of your wound. All wounds do not like sunlight and mechanical damage. If your wound or abrasion comes into contact with clothing, put a plaster or bandage on it. The healing process may be itchy, do not scratch your wound and never peel off the crust. A hard crust of blood and lymph on the surface of the wound protects it from mechanical influences. To reduce the scar and prevent its appearance in the pharmacy, you can buy special creams and ointments, but be careful, not all of these products can be applied to the wound. Some are designed to reduce an existing scar. If you couldn’t save yourself from a scar, don’t worry. Although connective tissue is different from skin, a scar cannot change your lifestyle. It is a completely different matter if the scar does not suit you for cosmetic reasons – then you need to contact a surgeon. The best way to remove scars is plastic surgeons, as this is their specialty.

A traumatic factor provokes the growth of scar tissue not immediately upon healing, scars appear after about six months. To prevent this from happening, you need to immediately take special measures after receiving an injury.

The simplest steps to prevent scarring

Modern plastic surgery is well developed, but it is better to prevent a scar than to operate on it later. There are ways to not only minimize the risk of scarring, but also not have it at all. First of all, small wounds, cuts need to be sealed with a band-aid. True, places where the skin is stretched are not suitable for this. There you need to sew fabrics.

Scabs are essential for tissue healing and prevent bacteria from entering the wound. In no case should they be torn off, since a new piece of skin is pulled out from the center of the wound, the depth of the injury increases, and the risk of scar formation at this place increases many times over. It is better to peel with a band-aid, let it fall off on its own. This is especially true of crusts after a rash, chicken pox.

If the chickenpox scab is plucked while scratching the body, the scar jewelry will have to be worn for life. It is better to use an itch-relieving ointment. For minor cuts or burns, aloe leaf is excellent. It must be cut across and applied with a cut to the wound. To heal faster, the procedure should be done 2-3 times a day.

What can be done to avoid scarring

Nutrients such as onion extract can prevent scarring of the skin. Heparin has an anti-inflammatory and softening, moisturizing effect, it also helps to restore tissues. These substances are contained in Contractubex, a very effective remedy. Even in preparations against scars there is allantoin, it perfectly reduces the pathological growth of scars.

In order for scars and scars to fade over time and become invisible, you need to eat right. The food should contain vitamins, proteins, zinc. They are found in cheeses, lean beef, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds. You can rub vitamin E into the scar, massage the scar with Vietnamese balm, tiger ointment, make wet oil compresses. All these actions will help soften the scars, make them less noticeable. Also, traditional medicine recommends tincture of celandine, you can use fly agaric infused with olive oil. Timely measures taken will help the skin to remain beautiful.

If you are injured, severe or minor, you may get a scar. This is a natural result of the wound healing process: collagen is released from the inner layers of the skin, which rises to the surface and “closes” the injury, resulting in a scar. Although there are no miraculous home remedies that can help prevent scarring, certain methods can be used to influence the formation and hardening of scar tissue during the natural healing of a wound.

Steps

Part 1

Wound treatment

Wash the wound.
To start treating an injury, the first step is to clean the wound and the skin around it. Make sure that the wound is free of dirt and foreign objects, as this can lead to infection.

• Use soap and water. To clean the wound, gently wash the affected area with warm water and mild soap. Apply pressure to the wound with a clean, dry cloth to stop bleeding.
• Do not use hydrogen peroxide to clean a wound. Once damaged, the body immediately begins to form new skin cells, and the hydrogen peroxide destroys these new cells and increases the likelihood of scarring in the early stages of treatment.