Scars

Scars are fibrous areas that replace the normal surrounding tissue of an organ. In this article, we are concerned with scars on the skin rather than those of other body parts, but they too go through the same healing processes. The liver and heart are two such organs that suffer greatly when scarring occurs. Except for very small cuts and lesions, every injury to the skin will cause some degree of scarring. Scars are the result of the body's natural method of quickly repairing itself. This method does not recreate the damaged skin precisely. The resulting tissue that patches a lesion is a scar.

The word "scar" is derived from the Greek word eschara, which means "fireplace." It's not hard to imagine why the word fireplace would lend its name to these types of marks as burns are a common source of scars.

There are five main types of scars, but all are the same thing: fibrous areas of collagen.

• Fortuna scars: normal scars that result from an injury. They are usually flush with the rest of the skin, but may have different pigmentation.

• Keloid scars: scars that experience exaggerated growth. They may continue to grow as large masses of collagen.

• Hypertrophic scars: raised scars that, while similar to keloid scars, do not continue past the boundary of the original injury.

• Contracture scars: If you have been burned, you may develop these types of scars, which may impair your ability to move if it is over a joint or other point of movement. Severe acne can leave distinctive scars if the underlying layers of the skin are heavily damaged.

Though these different types of scars may have different causes, the process that leaves them is similar among them. After an injury, the body hastily lays down new collagen fibers. It does not try to emulate the original tissue, including things like hair follicles or sweat glands. Scars are the result of the body placing a priority on sealing off an injury rather than aesthetics.

Symptoms of Scars

Scars present themselves in a number of different ways. They may be pitted or raised, darker or lighter than surrounding skin, and rough and fibrous-looking or smooth. They also tend to react differently than normal skin. A scar may not tan in the same way as the rest of your body, or may change color in cold weather. The tissue that makes up scars is not created in the same way as the rest of your skin so it just plain looks different.

Any injury will leave a scar. What causes the different types of scars depends on a number of factors. One of these is the type and severity of the injury they replace, but other factors are an individuals age, race, and even sex.

Fortuna scars are the standard, everyday scar. They are left when a regular cut or lesion heals. Keloid scars occur when the body continues to create the collagen fibers that it uses to seal injuries. Keloid scars are more common in dark-skinned people. They usually form after surgery, significant injury, or even body piercings. They extend beyond the range of the original injury, possibly growing for years. Acne scars obviously result from acne lesions. They may appear as pits or wavelike. This is caused by a loss of tissue under the skin, likely to the layer of fat.

Treatments for Scars

There is no way to completely eliminate a scar, but there are several methods to reduce their appearance. The specific treatment depends largely on the type and size of the scar you wish to treat. Certain procedures are more appropriate than others in different situations. One of the most popular ways to treat scars is with topical creams, ointments, or gels. Often, these are directed by a physician to be used after a surgery. These medications can be purchased over the counter.

Surgical treatments are sometimes appropriate for large areas. These methods include skin grafts, excision, dermabrasion, and laser surgery. Skin grafts transplant skin from one area of the body to the scarred region. This is often done for burn victims. Excision involves removing the scar and sewing up the area. Dermabrasion is the removal of the surface of the skin with special instruments. It is most effective for raised scars, such as keloid and hypertrophic ones.

Injections can be used in two different cases, when a scar is sunken below the surface of the skin and when a scar is raised. Collagen injections are useful for bringing a pitted scar up to appear flush with the surrounding skin. Steroid injections can help flatten and soften keloid or hypertrophic scars. As far as natural remedies, vitamin E and onion extracts are used to treat the appearance of scars. These are thought to help the body's natural healing processes. Kaspersky total security 2019 sale, Acronis true image 2018 bootable iso download, Hitman software, Cyberlink Power DVD https://www.softexia.com/windows/multimedia/players/powerdvd-18

Most scars will not cause much of a problem for people. They are often covered by clothing or are relatively minor. Those that are large or in highly visible places, may cause people to become self-conscious. These are the ones that people seek treatment for. An over-the-counter cream or gel is a good place to start. If the scar is large or a topical treatment hasn't reduced one sufficiently, one should seek the advice of a doctor.

Since nearly every injury will leave some sort of a scar, the only way to avoid scars is to avoid injuries. However, one can reduce the severity of a scar by making sure that an injury doesn't become infected. Proper cleaning and bandaging of wounds greatly affects the final appearance of a future scar. Another way to cut down on the size of scars is to have a wound sutured or closed with butterfly strips if appropriate. This lessens the area that the body must fill with the collagen fibers that become scars.

Everyone will end up with scars. It is impossible to go through life without injuries that result in scars. It is only large or inconveniently located ones that give people trouble. Many people believe that "scars add character" to a person, but for those who would rather have an unblemished appearance, there are many treatments available to them to reduce the appearance of scars.