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Whenever our skin is injured, our body produces a protein called collagen to heal the wound. This healing process automatically comes into play anytime our skin bruises, cuts, burns, or damages from a condition or diseases like chickenpox or acne. While the body does an adequate job of closing and healing wounds on the skin, the collagen so formed and the repaired skin could often be visible as a scar.
Scars are amongst the most persistent cosmetic issues to get rid of. Although new scars can be possibly reduced, it is difficult and sometimes impossible to reduce the older ones. Some natural remedies are said to drop the scars’ intensity significantly, but any scientific base does not back them.
However, some non-invasive remedies are worth trying. This article covers some impactful remedies to fight mighty scars.
Silicone-based gels and sheets
Silicon is the most effective of all the home remedies in treating skin scars. Applying silicone gel or sheets can help to reduce the appearance of scars.
Many studies and researches over the last two decades have proved that using silicone gel or sheets has a significant impact on improving the scar’s appearance and make it less noticeable. Also, silicone products have minimal chances of leaving side effects and are painless and easy to use. As per several reviews from people worldwide, they effectively deal with hypertrophic and keloid scars.
Silicone products for scar treatment are available in many online medical supply stores. It is imperative that buyers carefully examine the available silicon products and choose the safe, prescribed, and reliable one, which is in line with your needs and budget.
Onion extracts can do wonders in removing scars
Onion extract is one of the most widely accepted natural remedies to treat stubborn scars. This extract for scar treatment can be easily found at local drug stores.
Some studies found that onion extract-based products for treating scars softened and lightened their appearance in four weeks. People using gels based on onion extracts saw noticeable changes in scar redness, texture, softness, and overall look in four weeks of regular use.
Despite these reviews and studies, the efficiency of onion extracts in treating scars has mixed opinions from experts worldwide. Some experts say that petroleum-based oils and gels are far more effective than onion extracts in removing scars.
Chemical-based exfoliators
Many serums, creams, and lotions contain exfoliants. These substances work effectively to remove the dead skin layers, making skin smooth and bright. Apart from smoothing fine lines, exfoliators are also beneficial in dealing with dark marks and scars. Since people now prefer buying medical equipment online, more and more competitive sellers have diverse chemical exfoliators in their online stores.
A study showed that peels that contain a combination of salicylic-mandelic and glycolic acid work as a very effective exfoliator in lightening the tone of dark marks and scars caused by acne and pimples. A similar study revealed that peels with glycolic acids noticeably lighten the scars of atrophic acne.
Protection from sun
Although not exposing your skin to sun rays won’t miraculously work to remove scars, it could help them fade naturally and prevent them from worsening. Sun protection is most important for those who use glycolic acid-based peels or other scar treatment products. Sunscreens and sun-protective clothes will consolidate your efforts to get rid of both new and old scars. They prevent scars from further darkening. Otherwise, scars would become more noticeable.
Some Preventive Measures To Nib The Scars In The Bud
Although it is impossible to avoid some scars, others can be minimized toa certain extent. After a skin injury, follow the below-mentioned steps to reduce the intensity of scars.
Cleaning of wounds
Keeping the wounded area clean and moisture avoids the wound from drying out and leaving behind ugly scars. Clean the wound thoroughly. Hold the wound under a tap running with cold water for a few minutes. This would wash away dust and dirt that have the potential to build infections. Then, apply a mild soap over the wounded area and clean it gently to kill germs and bacteria. Once the wound is cleaned, check whether it requires stitches or not. If the wound is grave, rush immediately to the doctor.
Use of petroleum jelly
Many people believe that petroleum jelly is not suitable for wounds. However, experts believe otherwise. They claim that these jellies keep the wound moist and make it conducive for fast healing. Also, it reduces itchiness that tempts one to scratch and augment the wounded area. They are available in plenty of online medical supply stores.
Cover the wounded area
It is imperative to cover the wounded area with a cloth or bandage. In this way, it is not exposed to dirt and dust in the air. Therefore, cover it whenever you leave your home. Also, ensure that you change the bandage and clean wound regularly.
Avoid exposure to the sun
When your wound starts healing and the layer of scab slowly starts disappearing, avoid the sun’s exposure. With the weakening of the ozone layer, UV rays are more harmful than ever before and degrade the new skin. It can damage skin tissues and darken the tone, which will ultimately make the scars more noticeable.
To conclude
Although scar seem just another physical problem, it can leave a more profound impact on a person’s mental wellness. The situation is aggravated in case the scars are on frontal areas like the face. Often, injuries in an accident cause scar and leave life-long deep marks on a person’s skin. Visible scars often impact self-esteem and self-confidence, ultimately paving a path to anxiety and depression. Hence, the need of the hour is not to allow those mighty scars to destroy your peace and ultimate motives of life.
Home remedies cannot magically work on removing scars from the root. But they are worth trying due to the low associated risk of any harmful side effect. Silicone gels, sunscreens, and chemical exfoliators are quite beneficial in treating scar. With the ever-rising trend of buying medical equipment online, the internet is fully stocked with a range of such products to fade, flatten, and soften the scars.
Often, People who struggle to remove scar with home remedies seek professional support from plastic surgeons and qualified dermatologists. They hang on to aggressive options of scars treatment like surgery, lasers, and steroids. This could burn deep holes in one’s pocket. The best solution to escape the horrors of scars is to prevent them in the first place by avoiding accidents. It is also necessary to take precautionary measures to lower the effect of wounds so that there are no permanent prints of scars on the body.