You can reduce the risk of an overgrown scar by following these principles:
Scar Treatment Options
Compression garments apply pressure and reduce blood flow to the scarred area, which can reduce the thickness and minimize the appearance of your scar. Garments also can relieve the itching, burning and pain. Silicone sheets act like an extra layer of healthy skin on your scar.
In both hypertrophic scars and keloid scars, this repair response goes haywire. Although the reason is not fully understood, the result is the abnormal production of extra collagen and a decrease in elastin, which lead to these undesirable thick, raised stiff scars.
Use Vaseline® Jelly for Scars
By sealing in moisture it also helps to reduce dryness of scarred skin, once your skin has healed. This may help to improve the appearance of scars, making the skin look smoother and softer, as well as help to reduce itchiness caused by dryness.
Hypertrophic scars stay within original wound boundaries and often improve with time, while keloids invade healthy tissue beyond injury margins and rarely regress spontaneously.
Applying a silicone dressing such as Scarguard™, or any variety of silicone sheet “Scar Treatment” bandage (available at most drugstores) at night will help many scars flatten out and soften. Silicone sheets can be purchased at any local pharmacy, grocery store, Walmart, etc.
The belief that topical Vitamin E is beneficial for scars treatment stems from its reputation as an antioxidant that promotes skin health. However, research studies have consistently shown that applying Vitamin E directly to scars does not improve their appearance or aid in the healing process.
Avoid using hydrogen peroxide, which can be harmful to healing wounds. The presence of debris, bacteria or other impurities in open skin can trigger infection and extend the inflammation period. Fisher says prolonged inflammation enhances scar formation.
The use of silicone gel sheeting may help prevent the development of hypertrophic scars and improve their appearance,34 pressure dressings may aid with scar maturation, and scar massage or pulsed-dye lasers may provide symptomatic relief with itching.
Topical creams and ointments: Applying silicone ointment to a scar may make it smaller or prevent it from forming. Or your healthcare provider may recommend applying corticosteroid cream or a silicone gel sheet to the area.
Prevention – Key factors to prevent keloids and hypertrophic scars include promoting rapid wound healing by keeping the wound clean and moisturized, fixing the wound with paper tape to reduce tension, and reducing inflammation at an early stage during the wound healing process.
Sun exposure: If a scar has been exposed to the sun without protection, it can become damaged and prone to developing skin cancer. Scars formed from injuries or surgeries in sun-exposed areas like the face, arms, or neck are especially at risk.
A keloid scar is a thick raised scar. It can occur wherever you have a skin injury but usually forms on earlobes, shoulders, cheeks or the chest. If you're prone to developing keloids, you might get them in more than one place. A keloid scar isn't harmful to your physical health, but it can cause emotional distress.
Corticosteroids can be injected into raised scars, such as keloids and hypertrophic scars. These injections help reduce inflammation and scar size. Cryotherapy involves freezing the scar tissue with liquid nitrogen to flatten and soften it. Cryotherapy is most effective for more minor scars.
If the skin creates excessive amounts of collagen while it heals, the result is a thick, widened, and sometime raised scar that remains within the boundary of the injury. This is called a hypertrophic scar.
Scar Massage: Apply a small amount of lotion or Vitamin E oil to the scar. Using firm pressure with your thumb or fingers, massage the scar in a circular motion. Next move your thumb across the width and length of the scar.
Celebrities often rely on advanced methods to minimise and conceal scars after surgery. Common techniques include using high-quality skincare products, undergoing laser treatments, and receiving professional scar therapy. In some cases, makeup artists use specialised products to cover scars temporarily for events.
An environmental factor that clearly has an effect on the appearance on skin scarring is sunlight exposure. Scars can be more sensitive to ultraviolet light for more than a year. An inability to respond to 'photodamage' may lead to worsening inflammation and altered pigmentation.
Discover Bio Oil (60ml), both clinically proven to help treat the appearance of stretch marks and scars; and also, thanks to a PurCellin with Vitamin A & Vitamin E blend, is effective at providing greater texture and elasticity to skin.
The benefits of Vaseline in wound care include maintaining moisture, protecting against bacteria, reducing pain, and minimizing scarring. These advantages make it particularly effective for minor cuts, scrapes, burns, and surgical wounds during the early healing stages.
Vitamin E is also generally considered the best oil for scars after surgery, although larger scars will take longer to heal. Apply almond carrier oil for healthier looking skin: Because almond oil contains Vitamin E, this could make it helpful for reducing the appearance of scars.
Other scar creams including Mederma and Aloe Vera are all probably better than leaving the scar dry but may not be superior to plain Vaseline. Vitamin E oil may not improve scars and may cause skin irritation/rash.