Scars can make you feel extremely self-conscious, especially when they’re in visible places on the body such as your face. What makes scars particularly stressful to deal with is that they’re not easy to get rid of.
Below is an explanation of the most common types of scars as well as the most effective treatments available for getting rid of them.
Types of scars
Below are some of the most common types of scars –
- Keloid scars
Keloid scars are raised, bright pink scars that are a result of overly aggressive healing.They can be treated in multiple ways, with surgery being an option to get rid of the raised appearance. Keloid scars can affect anyone although they’re more common on dark skin. - Contracture scars
Contracture scars are usually a result of burning. As the name suggests, they cause the skin to contract and tighten, which can be quite uncomfortable. - Hypertrophic scars
Hypertrophic scars are similar to keloid scars in that they’re raised and pink/red in color, however unlike Keloid scars, they do not go past the bounds of the injury. Treatments include steroids, chemical peels and laser treatment. - Acne scars
Acne scars are something that many people have to deal with and can cause a lot of distress. They come in different forms – often they have the appearance of deep pockmarks; in other instances they are more wavelike in appearance.
Treatments
- Chemical peels
Chemical peels are a very good way to get rid of certain types of scars, such as acne scarring. They work by getting rid of the upper layers of skin and revealing the new healthier skin underneath. Therefore chemical peels are good not only at getting rid of scars but also giving you healthier complexion overall. - Laser treatment
Lasers are a very effective means of treating a wide variety of scars. Lasers are used to penetrate the skin and remove the top layer in order to lessen the appearance of scars. This type of laser treatment is known as laser resurfacing. The type of laser used will depend on how serious the scars being treated are. For deeper scars, a CO2 laser is usually used. This is because it’s a more powerful laser that’s better suited to removing thicker and deeper scars. For more superficial scars, an Erbium laser is used. Because it’s less powerful the recovery time is quicker compared with a CO2 laser.
