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All about Scars
What is a scar
Sooner or later, almost everyone experiences scars. Depending on the extent of the injury, a scar can leave visible traces. Some sufferers not only find scars physically disturbing, but also less attractive due to their scars. This makes it all the more important to treat scars early on – for minimal visibility and a positive body feeling. Here you will find valuable information about scars.
A scar is the inevitable result of a wound that is of a certain depth. Injuries that affect the upper layers of the skin (epidermis), on the other hand, heal without scarring. Thus when an injury is no longer just superficial but goes deeper and penetrates the dermis, a scar forms.
The causes of deeper wounds – and subsequent scar formation – are as varied as life itself. They are often the consequence of cuts, stab wounds or bites. Injuries caused by heat, such as burning or scalding, or chemical burns caused by skin contact with aggressive chemicals, can also result in deep wounds that may be attended by scar formation.
Sooner or later, nearly everyone experiences some kind of scarring. Depending on the extent of the injury, a scar can leave obvious traces. Some of those affected not only consider their scars to be physically obtrusive, but are left feeling less attractive as a consequence too. This is especially the case if the scars are in places that are hard to cover – face, neck or hands.
This makes it all the more important to treat scars early on – for minimum scar visibility and a positive body image.
Scar formation
As soon as a wound goes deeper and reaches the dermis, a scar forms. The body reacts to an injury in a series of coordinated steps, each helping the wound to heal.
1. A blood clot is formed in the wound and growth factors are activated that stimulate the formation of new tissue.
2. After 2 to 3 weeks, the wound on the surface is closed through the newly formed tissue.
3. But the healing process in the deeper layers of the skin and the formation of new tissue will still take months. This is the phase in which the scar formation process can be influenced positively.
In order to optimally treat a scar, it is essential that treatment with Contractubex® Gel or Intensive Patch is begun immediately – i.e. as soon as the wound is closed or the stitches have been removed.
Treatment may well take 3 – 6 months depending on the extent of scarring, as scar tissue regenerates very slowly. Be ambitious and stay on course – it’s worth the effort!
Problematic scars
Some scars do not heal ideally and develop into problematic scars. The most common are:
Raised or hypertrophic scar
A hypertrophic scar forms shortly after the healing of the wound and is caused by overproduction of connective tissue fibres. The scar tends to bulge and project above the level of the surrounding skin, although it remains restricted to the region of the original injury. Hypertrophic scars are especially common when the wound has not been immobilised or protected, or if it has become infected.
Sunken or atrophic scar
When scar tissue covers a wound but not enough tissue is produced to fill out the damaged area sufficiently, this is known as an atrophic scar. These sunken scars are particularly common after acne or chickenpox.
Overgrowing scar or keloid
A keloid tends to form long after the wound has healed. This is caused by a massive overproduction of connective tissue fibres, which continue to grow over the wound and onto healthy skin, like the claws of a crab. Keloids particularly affect girls and young women. Scars on parts of the body with high skin tension are also susceptible to keloid formation. Quite frequently, a genetic tendency to develop keloids is inherited. Keloids also occur up to ten times more frequently in people with darker skin than in people with white skin.
Scar characteristics
Scar tissue is fundamentally different to normal, intact skin. It contains fewer hair follicles, sebum and sweat glands. Moreover, it is often devoid of the pigments responsible for giving our skin its natural tone – making it visibly stand out. Scars are also less elastic and supple, which can lead to an unpleasant feeling of tightness. The red colour of a fresh scar is usually the result of the formation of fine blood vessels. This reddening fades slowly over time, often leaving behind light-coloured scar tissue.
There are many different factors that determine how visible a scar remains:
Of crucial importance are the extent of the injury, what treatment the wound receives and whether it is allowed to heal undisturbed. Our age, health status and ethnic background also play a significant role in the formation of scars. An effective medical scar treatment is extremely important too. You should therefore start treating your scar with Contractubex early on, because doing so creates the best possible conditions for proper scar healing and minimum visibility.
Scar healing
Scar healing is a lengthy process that can take up to 6 months. Only wounds affecting, for instance, internal organs are able to heal completely, however. In the case of skin wounds, the body is only able to “repair” the damaged tissues. This makes it all the more important to use proven forms of therapy to support the “repair” process and reduce the visibility of the scar to a minimum.
It is essential that the scar is supplied with active ingredients and substances that inhibit excessive scar formation, reduce redness and improve skin elasticity and softness. Contractubex®‘s triple-action formula has precisely these beneficial effects on the skin healing process. It allows for the best possible “repair” to be achieved and scar visibility to be reduced to a minimum.
Treatment may well take 3 – 6 months depending on the extent of scarring, as scar tissue regenerates very slowly. Be ambitious and stay on course – it’s worth the effort!
