Scars represent pain that you’ve endured and overcome. Does this mean we want to keep them and display them with pride? Not always.
Scars can affect your appearance, and for some folks, this can lead to heightened feelings of self-consciousness. Some scars are painful, and others can inhibit movement. How to reduce scars is a burning question for those who are suffering.
If you have an old scar that you’d like to get rid of, read on for five treatments you can try.
How to Reduce Scars – 5 Tips
Scars are seldom completely reversible. With the right treatment, scars can lighten and become less noticeable, more flexible, and less painful.
1. Medicated Gels or Creams
There are skin medications that you can purchase over-the-counter to ease your scarring. Antihistamine cream can help stop itching and aid the healing process. Corticosteroid cream is a known scar-reducing cream. It can also help prevent scarring.
2. Dermabrasion or Chemical Peel
For severe scars, consider these procedures. Through the process, the top layers of skin are removed. Surface scars are taken off with the skin and the deeper-lying scars are brought towards the surface. The new skin can be painful and swollen for a week or two.
3. Punch Excision and Subcision Surgery
If you want to know how to reduce acne scars, consider punch excision surgery. Individual scars are cut and closed up with stitches or skin grafts. Subcision surgery uses needles to cut the fibers below scars to loosen them. The loosened fibers relax the look of the scar.
4. Natural Remedies for Reducing Scars
Do you prefer the natural route to healing? There are some popular natural remedies that have been effective for some people.
- Vitamin E
- Coconut Oil
- Aloe Vera
- Olive Oil and Lavender
- Frankincense and Rosehip
- Baking Soda
- Honey
Don’t use any of these remedies on open wounds, only scar tissue. Check with your doctor before starting. If any treatment causes your scar to become inflamed to irritated, stop the treatment immediately.
5. Take Zinc Supplements
Zinc helps wounds heal by reducing inflammation and generating cell growth which might aid scar healing. Don’t take more than the recommended dosage as the side effects include diarrhea and bloating. Check with your doctor what dosage would work best for you.
What About Scar Pain?
Some scars become painful as the nerve ending regenerate. Scar pain can restrict free movement. Suffering from scar pain can be debilitating, but there are options for pain relief that are worth investigating.
A pain management doctor can assess the location and severity of your scar. They will advise you on how to reduce scar tissue, the different courses of treatment that could be followed, and suggest a treatment plan.
Your Scars Do Not Define You
Scars are a testimony of the pain that you’ve survived, but they don’t need to stay as they are. Investigate your options on how to reduce scars, speak to your doctor, and start minimizing the effect they have on you today.
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