Whenever your skin is injured -- cut, scaped, pierced, or gashed -- your body immediately reacts to repair the damage. The repair work depends on how deep the wound is. If it’s just the top layer of skin, new skin will cover the area after it heals. If the wound goes deeper than the first layer, your body repairs it with tissue thicker than your skin. After the wound is healed, a scar usually develops from that repair tissue. The more repair tissue your body makes, the more raised the scar will be. A sunken scar, from acne or chickenpox, is due to skin inflammation, which destroys the collagen in your skin. Collagen gives skin its structure, smoothness and elasticity.
Scars can be pinkish to reddish in color, but turn lighter or darker than the surrounding skin over time. Most scars are flat with slightly wrinkled skin on top. Good wound care can minimize a scar or even prevent it from forming.
Having a scar means the wound has already healed, and there’s not much you can do about it. However, get medical attention for any scar that becomes irritated, oozes or bleeds. If a scar is prominent, or rubs on clothing, you may want to have it treated so it’s less noticeable. The chief concern is that skin cancer can develop in scars, especially scars from a deep or widespread burn.
A scar can develop after your body heals a skin injury. Certain skin conditions (acne, chickenpox, epidermolysis bullosa, hidradenitis suppurativa) can also cause scars. A deep injury is repaired when cells quickly make collagen. Because it’s made quickly, the repair collagen is thicker and less flexible than normal skin. It’s this thick, less flexible tissue that forms a scar.
Scars vary widely in appearance, shape and size. These differences are due to:
Scars can feel rough, raised or sunken/pitted. Many scars will fade or shrink over time. As nerve endings that were severed or damaged during the injury grow back, a scar can become itchy or painful. This can happen months or years after the injury. Sometimes skin cancer can look like a scar. If you notice a scar but were not injured, have it evaluated by your doctor right away.
Scars can be classified into these types:
Yes, if you are considering treatment for a scar. See your dermatologist if it’s irritating the surrounding skin, limiting your movement, oozing, bleeding, or is painful, tender, itchy or looks infected. A new mole or growth near the scar should be evaluated right away for skin cancer. Your dermatologist needs to know your medical history and the type of scar you have to develop an individualized treatment plan. A dermatologist can identify the type of scar you have, advise you if it will fade over time, and develop a treatment plan.
Most scars do not need treatment. Treatment can improve the look and feel of a scar; however, a scar will never go away completely. Treatment depends on your age, the type of scar you have and how long you’ve had it. Some treatments can prevent a scar from forming.
Scar treatment can include:
Get stitches or special bandages that hold the skin together during the healing process if you have a deep or large wound. Stitches can reduce scarring.
Keep the wound clean with soap and water. Never use hydrogen peroxide because it can further damage skin. Change the bandage as the wound heals.
Use moist burn pads or petroleum jelly to keep the wound from scabbing; scabs make scarring worse.
Avoid the sun because it can darken a scar.
Pay attention to your diet. Low levels of protein and vitamins D and C can make scarring worse.
Medically reviewed by:
Dr. Siddiqui is the Chief Medical Officer at TeleMed2U responsible for clinical and technical program development as well as maintaining a thriving telemedicine practice in infectious diseases which includes specialized care of Hepatitis and HIV.
