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What Can I Do to Minimize Scarring?

Nobody likes having scars, unless you’re the antagonist in an action movie. But for the rest of us, we do our best to keep embarrassing scars from forming. Whether they are from acne or injury, we’re always on the lookout for the next serum that will minimize the appearance of scars. What if we told you that there are several effective ways to truly minimize a scar? We’ll prove it. Here are some things you can do to minimize scarring.

First, let’s talk a little bit about how scars are developed. When you are injured and have an open wound, scarring will occur in four stages: hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and maturation.

The moment you’re cut open, hemostasis begins, in which your body will send platelets to the wound in order to close it up and stop the bleeding. This is when inflammation begins. The injured area will become inflamed (with swelling, redness, and pain). This is because white blood cells flood the injury to battle any bacteria that may be present thus preventing infection. The coolest part of the scarring process comes next: proliferation. Proliferation occurs when the injured area begins to create all new cells. This is what creates a scab and will eventually morph into new skin. The final step is maturation in which the wound is completely healed and regenerated, leaving behind a scar.

Now that you know how scars are formed, we can begin to minimize their appearance. This all begins with prevention. There are certain precautions that you can take to lower your chances of having a scar.

First and foremost, take care of the wound. Open wounds should be cleaned and covered. Not only does this speed up the healing process, but it significantly lowers your risk of getting an infection. It will also decrease the inflammation period which goes a long way in limiting the production of a scar.

Secondly, avoid picking at your scabs. We’re all told this as children, but allowing the skin to heal naturally without interference will promote healing without scarring.

Once a scar appears, however, there are various dermatology treatments you can consider to get rid of them.

Medicated Creams: Topical treatments like medicated creams and ointments can be used to smooth out the discoloration of your scar, and when wrapped or compressed with a bandage, may flatten over time.

Facial Treatments: Dermatology procedures like dermabrasion, collagen induction therapy, and chemical peels can be used to deliver micro-injury to the treated area and promote the growth of new, flawless skin.

Laser Therapy: Laser therapy has been a huge hit in the world of dermatology as it has proven to be successful in numerous treatments. In the case of scarring, lasers being emitted at various wavelengths sends kinetic energy below the skin’s surface. This energy interacts with the skin’s pigmentation cells to rectify discoloration, giving the skin a smoother appearance and making the scar virtually disappear.

With the steps to avoidance and treatment options, scarring doesn’t have to be an issue for you.

If you’re in the Cincinnati, Ohio area, our experts at The Dermatology Group are here to offer you advice, resources, and scarring treatment. Give us a call today!

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