Scarring Treatments
Scars are an unfortunate fact of life. Their main purpose is to reconnect skin that has been damaged. At first, they may be red or dark and rose after the injury has been cured but will become paler and flatter naturally over time, resulting in a flat, pale scar.
For reasons that are yet to be fully understood, some persons form raised scars that are red and thick and may be itchy or painful. Others develop scars that grow beyond the site of an injury, called keloid scars.
Keloid scars are basically engrossed, itchy, puckered scars that grow beyond the limits of an injury or incision and rarely regress. They appear when the body keeps producing tough, fibrous protein (called collagen) after an injury has healed.
Keloid scars can result from any kind of damage to the skin, including bruises, tattoos, insect bites, injections or surgical procedures, etc. Keloid scars can show anywhere on the body, but most usually appear over the breastbone, on earlobes and on shoulders.
Keloids are fibrous tumors characterized by a collection of atypical fibroblasts with high accumulation of extracellular matrix components, especially collagen, fibronectin, elastin, and proteoglycans. Histologically, keloids have relatively acellular centers and engrossed, abundant collagen accumulations that form nodules in the deep dermal section of the lesion. Keloids present a clinical problem that must be addressed as these lesions can produce great pain, pruritus (itch) and physical disfigurement, may not improve in appearance over time, and can even limit mobility if located over a joint.
Unlike keloids, hypertropic scars are limited to the wounded site and usally flatten out over time. Hypertrophic scars can be difficult to differentiate from keloid scars microscopically and biochemically because both types accumulate larger amounts of collagen than normal scars. Both can be caused|the result of surgery, accidents and even acne.
Hypertrophic scars, however, will usually show declining collagen production after about six months. Hypertrophic scars have about twice as much glycosaminoglycans as normal scars, and this and enhanced synthetic and enzymatic reactions result in significant alterations in the matrix which affects the mechanical capabilities of the scars, including decreased extensibility that makes them feel firm.
As with hypertrophic scarring, persons having one keloid scar are likely to be prone to this condition in the future and should speak with their doctor or surgeon if they are likely to need injections or to have any kind of surgery.
Atrophic scars are recognized by a thinning and reduced elasticity of the skin due to an alteration of regular skin architecture. An example of an atrophic scar is striae distensae, also called stretch marks. This type of scar can also be produced by acne lesions.
A new skin care product is our latest answer to eliminate scars and alleviate all kind of skin conditions. Elaborated with biological ingredients, it ensures no allergic responses and no adverse side effects.
- Candice Zubcic