Survival Skin Tips: Preventing and Reducing Scars

What do you get when you venture outdoors for the first time? How long did it take you to recover from your first ever bicycle accident? Why did you have develop these off-hue, flat and/or raised skin issues?

Scars aren’t exactly the perfect skin mix-up. They are skin concerns which are already the main complaints of many consumers worldwide.

Scarring, as a matter of fact, is a normal healing process that the body undergoes to repair the skin. However, when the skin produces too much collagen scarring becomes too much to handle. Overgrowth, then, becomes evident in the form of a thicker skin over the affected areas.

Can it be reduced? Yes. Though treatments are already available in the market, many still opt to reduce scar visibility without spending too much.

How can you minimize scar appearance, then?

Here are simple tips which you can do to at least cover up the unwanted scar façade.

  • sunscreenWear sunscreens. UVA and UVB rays aren’t especially helpful when you have scars. According to Sonia Badreshia-Bansal, a dermatologist in California, the sun is a culprit to unnecessary hyperpigmentation. It is important that you use sunscreens with at least 30 SPF and contains zinc or titanium oxide – 2 chemicals which are extremely helpful in keeping UVA and UVB rays at bay.
  • Usage of silicone gel sheeting. Every day use of silicone sheets over the affected areas can prevent the scars getting worse. A Florida dermatologist claims that for best results, silicone gel sheets must be used for more or less a period of 3 months.
  • Concealers can make a cover. Not only can concealers resolve baggy eyes and dark circles under the eyes, they can be your partner in making scars fade a little. Choosing the perfect concealer is the trick. Sometimes, applying concealers become frustrating because you tend to use just any type of concealer. Here are some simple notes to remember: 1) for a reddish or pinkish scar, use a concealer with a green undertone, 2) for a brownish scar, use one with a yellow undertone, and 3) for scars lighter than your skin tone; pick a concealer that is exactly like your skin tone. Additionally, remember to buy water-proof concealers. Otherwise, you will be re-touching minutes after you have made-up.
  • Petroleum jellies over fancy creams. The market is an arena of cosmetic products. Creams with cocoa butter and Vitamin E, promising to deliver scar-free days, aren’t fully studied at all. According to some experts, it is of more value if you use petroleum jelly rather than these fancy creams.
  • Bleaching creams can be used to keep scars away. The most common creams are composed of whitening substances usually in the form of retinoids – Vitamin A derivatives which are studied to have decreased hyperpigmentation on many occasions. Retinoid-based creams, though, may induce hypersensitivity. It is important that you take care in using any of these creams. If you are dubious or are suffering from allergies, do ask a medical expert.

Laser Resurfacing and Scars

Scars aren’t the perfect buddies to flaunt under the heat of summer. At some point, scars induce psychological and emotional stresses that can only be allayed when these scars disappear.

Though inevitable at many instances, there are ways to treat these skin hitches. And yes, it will require you to invest time, money and effort.

Elementary Principles of Scarring

Scars result from wounds or cuts which healed overtime. A more severe cut would usually result to more prominent scars. But why do they develop in the first place?

Generally, scarring is the body’s way of repairing itself and closing a cut. They are, most of the time, invisible. However, some individuals are more prone to develop visible scars (may be raised or off-tone ones).

Too much collagen production is deemed to be the main culprit as to why these scars came to be. According to experts, scars frequently develop on areas which are under tension most of the time.

Understanding Laser Resurfacing

laser resurfacingIf you are looking for an updated way to get rid of scars, laser resurfacing is among the procedures sought by many consumers worldwide. It is known to be a resolution to many skin irregularities – scars, blemishes and wrinkles.

What happens is that the skin is placed under short, concentrated beams of light which are aimed to remove the skin layer by layer (as if peeling them off). Technically, it removes the damaged skin cells on a superficial level.

The Mechanism

Otherwise termed as Laser Peel or Laser Vaporization, Laser Resurfacing may act on 2 ways – via carbon dioxide or erbium.

Ebrium Laser Resurfacing removes surface-level and discreetly deep skin problems such as wrinkles and scars. What’s most beneficial with this type of resurfacing is that it has fewer side effects (bruising, redness, skin irritation and burning).

Recovery time, generally, is faster – about a week. However, it might vary depending on the client’s presented case. For clients with a darker skin tone, it is the best option to take.

Carbon Dioxide Laser Resurfacing has always been a renowned method to treat scars, wrinkles, warts and all other common skin hitches.

It makes use of very short pulsed energy lights or continuous beams of light delivered in a scanning manner to remove the skin layers one at a time. Recovery period, though, takes up to 2 weeks.

The Expectations

  • It is an out-patient procedure which can be done within the comforts of your doctor’s clinic.
  • Local anesthesia may be given. However, if the treatment will involve a large area, general anesthetics may be given.
  • 24 hours after the procedure, you are expected to clean the area 4-5 times a day and treated with ointments such as petroleum jelly. The purpose of this home treatment is to prevent scab formation which might result to future scars. The areas would generally heal for about 10-21 days.
  • Steroids might be prescribed to resolve swelling. For minimal swells, cold compresses may be done.
  • Oil-free cosmetics may be used once the skin fully heals.
  • Medical consult is needed.