April 8, 2018

Scars, Trauma and Surgical Scarring

scars and traumatic scarring

Often times, we view these scars as disturbing or disgusting.  Or we plain don’t care much for where they are placed on our bodies.  We don’t like looking at them because they remind us of trauma we have been through, or surgeries we have had.  However, the good news is that they can be minimised so we don’t have the constant reminder of things we have been through.

Types

The first step one must take to minimise a scar is to meet with a dermatologist.  They may also run through the various types of scars with you. There are many types of scar like,

  •  Contracture scars-  These scars are in the joint or skin creases.  They are attributed to mainly burns. It becomes difficult to     move the joint as when the wound heals, the scar tissue has no elasticity, so the skin contracts.
  • Keloid Scars-  These scars have an overproduction of collagen at the site of the wound.  They will have a rubbery appearance, and will be raised and reddened. They will also grow over a course of time. Many times those with darker skin will have them.
  • Stretch marks-  Many do not view stretch marks as scarring, but in reality, they are a form of scarring. They are typically seen on the thighs, buttocks, stomach, and breasts.  They are formed when there is a dramatic growth, such as pregnancy. They are very difficult to treat.
  • Atrophic Scars- These scars are usually caused by acne. Due to the injury, there is  a pit in the skin that resulted from a loss of collagen.
  • Hypertrophic Scars- Dark in color, these scars are raised and usually occur after a traumatic event. They will often reduce over time and will not exceed the boarders of the original wound.
  • Normal Scars- These scars fade over time without the assistance of a dermatologist or any product.

Treatment

Microdermabrasion can lessen the look of scars due to the fact that the upper layer of skin is being exfoliated.number of microdermabrasion depends on how

Collagen induction therapy or skin needling can also be used for scars. This uses gentle needles that will pierce the skin so micro channels are created. Your body will produce collagen to help fill in these wounds that were created, stimulating a natural healing process.

Laser resurfacing can also be used effectively to treat trauma and surgical scarring.  The body’s natural healing process will be stimulated by breaking up fibrous tissue to stimulate the production of collagen and elastin. More than one treatment may be needed.

Scars often tell stories that we don’t want to be reminded about daily. There are several effective treatments that a dermatologist can perform to help break up scar tissue so healing of the skin can begin.  Multiple treatments may need to be used, but within a set amount of sessions, the scars will fade and begin to heal themselves into the gorgeous skin you once had.

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Ichthyosis (ick-thee-OH-sis) is a skin disease that causes extremely dry, thick, and scaly skin resembles fish scales.

These are a heterogeneous group of disorders with both inherited and acquired forms. these are the types
Ichthyosis Vulgaris- Most common type of icthyosis Lamellar Ichthyosis- Lamellar ichthyosis is characterized by dark, plate (armor)-like scale. Epidermolytic Hyperkeratosis- characterized by generalized redness and fine white scale Congenital Ichthyosiform Erythroderma- newborn infant with ichthyosis who presented at birth with collodion baby appearance. X-linked Ichthyosis- due to a defect in the enzyme steroid sulfatase, affects males with generalized scaling that usually begins soon after birth.

Ichthyosis Treatment

Several hours each day may need to be devoted the skin if ichthyosis is present in an individual. Daily, a person will need to take a shower or a bath. The skin should be exfoliated on a daily basis, and moisturised well. Moisturising ointments or creams may need to be prescribed by a dermatologist for the individual. Oral retinoids can be prescribed to reduce scaling. If a secondary infection occurs on the skin, oral antibiotics will need to be prescribed. Tips that will help keep the skin looking and feeling its best include applying a good quality lotion within 3 minutes of bathing. Apply to wet skin to keep moisture trapped into the skin. Products that contain lactic acid, alpha hydroxy acids and urea will help to keep skin not only moisturised but also exfoliated. Rubbing a wet pumice stone over crusty scales on the skin can help to remove them. Should there be scales on the scalp, brushing wet hair gently will aid in removing the scales.  

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