Scar Management

A scar is a bundle of collagen fibers that is formed to repair damage following an injury to
the skin.
Types of scars
 Atrophic scars: These are characterized by the loss of tissue and they appear pitted,
depressed, serrated or flat against the upper layer of the skin. Examples are, acne
scars and chickenpox scars.

Management; Demelan cream, Mederma gel and Scaro Cream

 Keloid scars: These are elevated fibrous scars that extend beyond the borders of the
original wound, do not regress, and usually recur after excision. Keloids are more
common in people with dark skins and they have side effects such as interfering with
movement, pain and itching.

Management; Surgery, Triamcinolone injection, Scaro cream, Contractubex gel and Aldara
(Imiquimod) cream.
  Hypertrophic scars: These are similar to keloids, but are confined to the wound
borders and usually regress (become less raised and noticeable) over time.

Management; Scaro cream, Contractubex gel, Triamcinolone injection and Aldara

(Imiquimod) cream

 Contracture scars: These scars are typical result of burns where large areas of the
skin are lost or damaged. They tighten or contract the skin hence restricting
movement, and they go deeper affecting muscles and nerves.

Topical management; Contractubex Gel

The best way to reduce scars is to care for the wounds as they heal, limiting their formation
from the beginning. The faster the wound heals, the smaller or less noticeable the scar
formed.
Home remedies for management of scars
Aloe vera
 Remove the dark green ‘skin’ from the flatter side of an aloe vera leaf and scoop out
the almost clear light green gel.
 Apply the gel directly to your scar using circular motions.
 After half an hour, wash the gel off with fresh cool water. Repeat twice each day.
Vitamin E
 Cut open vitamin E capsules over the scar and squeeze the oil onto the scar.
  For about 10 minutes, massage the oil on and around the scar.
 After about 20 minutes, wash off the oil with warm water.
 Repeat this process a minimum of 3 times per day.
Honey
 Before going to bed, cover your scar with a layer of honey.
 Wrap the honey-covered scar with a bandage and leave it on for one full night.
 In the morning, remove the bandage and wash off the honey with warm water.
Coconut oil
 Heat a few tablespoons of coconut oil.
 Massage the oil into the scar for about 10 minutes.
 Let the skin absorb the oil for a minimum of one hour.
 Repeat two to four times every day
Apple Cider Vinegar
 Combine 4 tablespoons of distilled water with 2 tablespoons of the vinegar.
 Dip a cotton ball into the water-cider mixture and generously dab your scar and let it
dry.
 Do this every night before bed and wash the area in the morning.
Lavender and Olive oil
 Mix three drops of lavender oil into three tablespoons of olive oil.
 Massage the mixture into the scar for about 5 minutes and leave the oil in place for
about 30 minutes.
 Rinse the area with warm water. Do this three times a day.
Baking soda
 Mix distilled water into two tablespoons of baking soda until it forms a paste.
 Wet the scar with distilled water and then apply the paste to the wet scar.
 Hold the paste in place with a warm compress for 15 minutes.
 Rinse the area and repeat daily
Lemon juice
 Cut a wedge from a fresh lemon
 Gently rub the juicy side of the lemon on the scar while you squeeze the juice onto
the scar.
  Relax for about 10 minutes before rinsing off the area with cool water.

Sweet Potato
 Slice a potato into medium thick rounds.
 Using a circular motion, rub the potato slice on the scar.
 Once the potato slice starts to dry, discard and continue rubbing with another slice
 Continue rubbing and replacing for about 20 minutes and let the scar air-dry for
about 10 minutes. Rinse the area with cool water.