How to Fade and Smooth Different Types of Scars

Expert Recommended Tips to Reduce the Appearance of Old & New Scars

Some scars are cool, some are a beautiful part of your life story, and others are these ugly things you’d love to erase. We’ve compiled the top ways to treat your existing scars—from those caused by acne, chicken pox, burns and cuts to deep raised keloid scars—and tips to proactively treat wounds and new scars so that they don’t leave a permanent mark.      


Acne Scars (Non-Pitted) As if the actual breakout wasn’t enough, once your skin clears you may be left with telltale discolored marks.  

Scars form where acne lesions once were. “Extra blood vessels form around the wound [and] pigment [is] released as part of the healing process,” explains licensed esthetician and acne specialist Daniela Ferri.  

The coloring of acne scars differs depending on your skin tone. In lighter skin tones, Ferri explains that you don’t see a very dark mark, ”but you will see redness lingering from all the little extra blood vessels.” In darker skin tones, however, you won’t see much redness but you will “see a dark mark from all the leftover pigment” in the skin.    

To immediately reduce redness or pinkness from scarring, try tabbing green concealer over the marks before applying your foundation. This can help to counterbalance the redness and blend the scar into your skin tone.  

Ferri recommends a three-step approach to permanently reduce the discoloration caused by acne scars (this also works for discolored marks caused by other types of wounds):  

First, and the most important thing you can do to reduce the appearance of these marks, is to apply sunscreen (think SPF 30 or greater) before any type of sun exposure, year round. Without protection, the sun’s UV rays will actually darken the scar’s pigment rather than fading it into a tan.  

Second, Ferri recommends a properly formulated alpha hydroxy acid gel, which will help remove pigmented, damaged cells. There are several over-the-counter products you can use, but proceed with caution as they may cause irritation and redness in people with sensitive skin. You can also ask your  esthetician for an alpha hydroxy acid peel to reduce the appearance of scars.  

Third, use “a properly formulated, broad-spectrum, high potency antioxidant serum or lotion, with a focus on Vitamin C,” Ferri says. Vitamin C can help reduce inflammation and help lighten dark scars. Kojic acid and arbutin (bearberry extract) are other natural ingredients to look for in a serum or lotion, as they’ve been shown to help lighten dark marks.  

Or, if it’s not too harsh on your skin, you could use a topical lightening cream containing hydroquinone to reduce the discoloration caused by acne or other types of older scars, explains dermatologic surgeon Dr. Joseph Sobanko.    


Pitted Scars (Acne or Chicken Pox)
While some of your scars may have simply caused skin discoloration, others may have caused skin pitting, or depressions of the skin. These types of scars can be a real pain to treat, but there’s hope.  

Intense inflammation, such as that caused by acne or chicken pox, can cause a loss of collagen in the skin and result in skin pitting. There are two types of pitted scars: atrophic scars (generally shallow pits) and ice pick scars (generally deeper and narrower, looking like puncture marks), and both require treatment from a dermatologist to improve their appearance.  

For atrophic (shallowly pitted) scars, Dr. Sobanko recommends visiting your dermatologist for treatments that help smooth your skin surface and induce collagen formation: “The most successful treatments often replace collagen and smooth the contours [of your scar]. Examples of such treatments include medium depth chemical peels, dermabrasion and resurfacing lasers.”  

If you are trying to minimize the look of ice pick scars, which often appear on the face, Dr. Sobanko explains that the collagen replacement treatments listed above for shallow scars will not work. Ice pick scars require “subcision, or gentle release of the scar from its attachments to the base of the skin, with a small needle,” he explains. Goes without saying, but this is something you need to see your dermatologist to treat.    

Burn Scars
What do flatirons and cupcake pans have in common? Yes they’ll both make marvelous creations, but they can also both burn the hell out of you. But luckily, you can treat the burn mark before it comes a permanent scar.  

Once the burn wound starts to heal, Ferri recommends you start applying an antioxidant serum or lotion to the area regularly. She recommends looking for one with vitamin C to help reduce inflammation and lighten discoloration.  

Also try a dark mark corrector containing antioxidants. “This will help the skin heal in such a way that it won’t respond to the trauma by sending pigment to the cells around the wound, which is what makes a dark scar,” Ferri says.  

Another simple, extremely effective way to prevent the mark from getting darker is to use an SPF 30 sunscreen. Be religious with this. If you’re going outside—no matter how long—put sunscreen on. If you sit by a window, put sunscreen on.  

If the scar is on your face and you want to put makeup on, Ferri says that’s fine, but make sure it’s non-comedogenic and you wash it off completely before bed. You should, however, wait until your skin is not “raw” and hot from the burn before wearing makeup.  

If your burn is very painful or anything more than a slight burn, you may want to see your doctor to make sure no infection or other damage occurs to the skin in your healing process, and to get any prescribed topical treatments to promote proper healing.      


Keloid Scars For some people, when they get a cut (or incision), it creates keloid scarring. Keloid scars are large, lumpy scars, slightly raised from the skin. While they can form on any part of the body, the chest, shoulders, upper back and earlobes are the most common spots for keloid formation.  

“Keloids are the excess growth of scar tissue at the site of a healed skin injury, ranging from minor scratches to body piercings, tattoos, burns and surgical incisions,” explains internist Dr. Andrea Ruman. “When a keloid is associated with a skin incision or injury, the keloid scar tissue continues to grow for a time after the original would has closed.”  

Dr. Ruman stresses that keloids are benign and should not be painful, so they don’t require medical treatment. But since keloids’ pronounced appearance can make some people feel uncomfortable, there are treatments that can reduce their appearance.  

Keloid treatments include “corticosteroid injections, external pressure, freezing (cryotherapy), laser treatments, radiation and surgical removal.” Surgical removal should be approached with caution as it may result in an even larger keloid scar formation. While these treatments may help for some, they can often be ineffective, explains Dr. Ruman.  

If you have a known history of keloids, you want to do everything you can to prevent their formation in the first place: Dr. Ruman recommends you avoid elective surgeries, tattoos and ear piercings.      


Treating Fresh Wounds to Minimize Scarring
Immediately after you get cut, scrapped or punctured, properly treating the wound will go a long way to help minimize future discoloration.  

As soon as you’ve been hurt, examine the wound and make sure it’s not too deep, bleeding too much or has imbedded debris. If any of these apply, visit your doctor for treatment—getting an infection like MRSA isn’t worth trying to be a hero and treating a serious wound yourself. Also keep in mind that if you were wounded by metal or an animal bite, you may need a tetanus shot.  

Next, clean the wound with cool (clean) water—warm water may accelerate bleeding—and gently wash the area with soap and a clean cloth. Avoid using hydrogen peroxide as it may hinder the healing process.  

From here, you should use an antibiotic cream or ointment to keep the wound clean and moisturized. Continue applying ointment and clean bandages to the wound for a few days. By continually applying moisturizing ointment, you help the skin repair itself and prevent the wound from drying out and forming scars.  

Do not pick at a scab once it forms. (Keep it covered if you can’t resist the urge!). Your skin forms scabs to repair itself, and when you remove it, you set back that healing process and are opening the wound to infection, which can result in further scarring.  

 

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Article source: ChickRX