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.
