Most of us have scars that date back to childhood bicycle falls. Whether you can recall the incident or not, each scar has a story associated with it and serves as a reminder about the unique healing ability of the skin.
If your skin gets wounded or you undergo a surgery, a scar is often inevitable. In other cases, scars come from acne or bug bites. Regardless of the cause, you can take steps to facilitate the healing process of your skin. When you do this, you can minimize the appearance of scarring and also ensure you take good care of your body.
Why Do Scars Form?
When your skin is wounded, it develops scars. Wounds are categorized as abrasions, incisions, lacerations and punctures.
If your skin gets scraped or rubbed off, it is known as an abrasion. On the other hand, if your wound penetrates deep into your skin, it is a puncture. Laceration and incision occur when the surface of your skin is damaged, but there is no damage to the tissue under the skin.
If your skin is injured, your body responds immediately to heal the injury. This is done by stimulating more production of collagen, which is a connective tissue. Collagen is transported to the site of the injury, so that the wound can be closed and the skin can begin the healing process. Since the injured area does not contain normal skin parts, it tends to look different and this is what is known as a scar.
Caring for Your Scar
The first step in caring for your scar is caring for the wound. Any supplies you need from ointment to bandages can be purchased at the community pharmacy. Depending on the severity of the injury, here is a basic, 3-step method to care for the wound.
- Gently clean the area while the wound is fresh.
- Cover the wound to keep dirt and bacteria out.
- In order to avoid reopening the wound and introducing bacteria, do not pick at scabs.
Once you have taken care of the wound, it is time to take care of the scar that will form as a result.
- Consume Vitamins: Vitamins A, C and K can help fight infection and boost skin health. Purchase them from your community pharmacy and take as instructed.
- Consider a Zinc Supplement: Zinc facilitates healing of the skin and can hasten the healing process, minimizing permanent scarring.
- Avoid Soaking the Wound: Try not to expose the wound to water for extended periods of time. This will hinder the formation of new skin and also cause scabs to break off.
- Stay Out of Sunlight: When your wound is healing, protect it from direct sunlight, as it can result in hyperpigmentation and make your scar more noticeable. If you cannot stay out of the sun, use a sunscreen with SPF 30 or more.
- Do Not Pick the Scab: The scab that forms on the wound site is a protection. It lets your wound heal the way it should. If you pick it, it impedes the healing process and could cause the scar to become permanent. If you find the scar getting overly dry, coat the area with some petroleum jelly to keep it moist.
If your wound is bleeding excessively or the cut seems to be deep, visit your healthcare provider or speak with your community pharmacist immediately. You may require stitches to close the wound and will need to take steps to prevent infection. As always, the staff at [company_short] is here to assist you and recommended products to assist in the healing process. Please don’t hesitate to give us a call or visit the store to speak with us.