Aberrant Scarring
The body's over production of collagen is the reason behind two types of scars. This process causes the scar to be raised above the surrounding skin. The hypertrophic scar does not grow beyond the original lesion, improving its look over time, and looks like a red lump on the skin. The keloid scar, on the other hand, grows without stopping and can become a large benign tumor.
Hypertrophic and keloid scars are both common on young and darker skinned persons. Although anyone can incur these scars, some have a genetic predisposition to them. They can be caused by surgery, an accident, or sometimes by acne. Keloid scars form spontaneously on some patients.
Although they can be a cosmetic issue, keloid scars are only inactive accumulations of collagen and therefore completely harmless, painless, and non-contagious. They are commonly found on a person's chest and shoulders. They are also common on people of Asian and African heritage.
Alternately, a scar can take the shape of a sunken recess in the skin, which has a pitted look. This happens when fat or muscle under the skin is lost. Commonly associated with acne, this type of scarring can also be caused by an accident or surgery. A strong acne treatment gel with regenerative effects can be used to treat this type of acne scar.
The next type of scarring looks like stretched skin. Pregnancy and teen growth spurts cause this type of scarring because of the fast growing cells underneath the skin. After some years, these scars diminish in appearance.
Treatments for Scars
You can never rid yourself totally of a scar. They will always leave a trace, but their look can be improved through a number of means.
Simple Treatments
There has been some support for vitamin E as a way to reduce scarring by eating it, taking supplements and applying it to the skin directly. You can find vitamin E in nuts, eggs, and green vegetables.
Another study, however, suggests that administering vitamin E to post surgical scars does not reduce the size, shape, or color of the scars, and can, in up to one third of patients, end in contact dermatitis, allergic responses, or other irritation that can accentuate a scar's look. (Source: Baumann, Dermatologic Surgery, 1999).
Surgery
Surgical removal of scars leaves new scars that can take two years to subdue. The surgeon cannot eliminate a scar but they can change its look a bit.
Surgery can sometimes make the scar larger, but improve its overall look. When a scar forms near a joint and restricts movement, surgery can be used to help but it will form another scar.
Hypertrophic scars and keloid scars are not recommended for surgery because more severe scarring can occur.
How to Clear Acne Scars with Cream
Knowing the acne facts about scarring, you can see that getting rid of acne scars is a difficult task. But if you are still wondering how to clear acne scars, consider this; all natural products with regenerative properties are what work best for acne scarring. With all of the acne myths that exist out there, you may be lead to believe that chemically based products are best. Yet this is far from true. All-natural products with potent regenerative ingredients can heal scars and regenerate new skin tissue cells over the scar, in turn healing the area and diminishing marks on the skin.
Published May 20th, 2009
Filed in Skin Care
