Managing Scars The Right Way

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Managing Scars

Scar formation is a natural response to any injury or surgery which heals injured structures. Scar tissues may involve only superficial skin or sometimes the deeper tissues including nerves and tendons. An active scar can be red, raised and thick that can become overly sensitive limiting motion and function. To be able to manage the scar in the right way, you have to know the types of scars and the different ways to manage them. They can be traumatic, stretch marks, post-surgical, hypertrophic, or keloid. Scar assessment should be done by a plastic surgeon after which appropriate treatment plan should be devised.

Table of Contents

TREATMENT

The treatment plan includes re-excision to stitch a scar, following a scar protocol, applying pressure, steroid injections as needed, V-Beam treatment, Laser treatment, hyaluronic acid fillers, fat fills and external radiation in cases of chronic keloid scarring. You can buy most of these essentials from Sutures India manufacturers. In the scar protocol, scars should be kept clean and dry after the surgery. You can get your hands on the required medical products on Smart Medical Buyer. They have a plethora of options to choose from and is a one stop destination for all your medical needs. Surgeons and therapists recommend a variety of treatments after healing when cuts are closed and stitches are removed. There are many scar management treatments one can follow depending on the type of surgery or injury.

  1. Scar massage decreases sensitivity and loosens deeper areas that seem stuck. It helps in making the scar smooth and moveable. Vaseline, cocoa butter, or other hand lotions that are over the counter type of creams for massaging. This can be helpful for 3 to 6 months or for as long as it seems comfortable and helpful to you.
  2. Early controlled exercise programs don’t let the joints nearby the scar to become stiff and hard. These exercise programs also keep tendons gliding beneath the skin. This type of scar management is not suitable for all kinds of scars but only to some special scars which require movement. You need to remember that some scars need rest for which these exercise programs can’t be helpful.
  3. Silicone gel is very helpful scar management. It can be placed on the scars in the form of sheets or liquid. The Silicone sheets can be washed and re-used in the following sessions. Silicone gel gets dried up as a thin layer and stays on the curved skin surfaces that move throughout the day. This kind of Silicone therapy is best used for 12 to 24 hours a day and is helpful for 3 to 6 months. Sometimes, taping or wrapping the scar can help in reducing the swelling and tension. Micropore tape price is easy to afford and you can keep them in your first aid kit for situations like this.
  4. Massage, vibration and rubbing the scars with the help of various textures is extremely helpful for most of the overly sensitive scars. The scars become overly sensitive when the nerves and other deeper tissues are affected by the surgery or injury. It can also get submerged in the slightly abrasive particles. This kind of scar management reduces the sensitivity of scars and also helps the skin and nerves to be able to tolerate the normal forces of everyday living. This is a process of desensitizing the scar and can take up to 4 months. This treatment can be started as soon as the skin and other repaired tissues are healed.
  5. Scar management involving injections or surgery can be effective for some special scar problems. Aggressive treatment might be necessary for burn scars or some other serious injuries. Some burn scars require special gloves and a tropical treatment.

SCAR HEALING

Some scars can take up almost a year to mature and hence they require some scar revisions after a year of the surgery or injury. It is a kind of surgery that minimizes a scar so it can blend in. You will know that the scar has completed its healing process when the scar is light in colour, smooth, and is no longer sensitive to touch. A fresh and healing scar that appears pink, red, raised, thick, and sensitive should be protected from sunlight as the sun exposure can darken it. The scar initially is minimal and often enlarges. There are chances of becoming highly reddened over the next 4 to 6 weeks. Sometimes, an active scar is mistaken to be an infection and the outermost layer often loosens while the deeper ones are intact all of which is normal. After the swelling or reddening phase, the wound becomes paler and smaller over the following 2 to 3 months after which scar becomes soft and has a more natural colour.

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