Scars – The different types of Scars

Skin is a flawless organ, imagine it like a beautiful silk cloth covering and protecting valuable assets. And like a fine cloth, when it gets a tear it will never look the same again. Just like when the skin is burnt or cut it

What causes a scar.
Small scars that can be covered or that are in places not so visible usually does not bother someone. It’s when the scar is very visible that people start to wonder if there is anything that would help to treat it. No scar can ever really disappear totally, but there are methods that will help reduce the size of the scar and change the appearance of the scar.

How are scars formed?
When you incur an injury, scarring is part of the healing process. There are various factors that contribute towards the appearance of the scar. It depends on the depth of the cut/wound, and on the location of the injury. Other factors include your age, your genes, your sex and ethnicity.

What are the different types of scars?

Keloid Scars
This type of scar is the result of an excessively aggressive healing process. They expand past the original injury. Over time the Keloid scar could hamper your movement. Treatments for the Keloid scar include surgery to remove it, or you could get steroid injections, or silicone sheets to flatten the scar. The treatment for smaller Keloids is to treat it by using cryotherapy which basically freezes the scar using liquid nitrogen. You can prevent a Keloid scar by using pressure treatment of gel pads with silicone when you have been injured. Keloid scars are more common in people with darker skins.

Contracture scars
Contracture scars commonly occur if your skin has been burnt. This type of scar tightens your skin and can impair your ability to move. It can also affect your muscles and nerves if the scar is deep.

Hypertrophic scars
They are scars that are raised and that have a red colouring. They are similar to Keloids only they do not form beyond the boundary of the injury. The treatments available to flatten the scar are steroid injections to reduce the inflammation or to apply silicone sheets.

Acne scars
Severe acne causes terrible scars. There are 3 different kinds of Acne scars. One can appear as a deep pit, another angular in appearance, and another wavelike in appearance. For each acne scar there is a different treatment available.