Home Remedies for Scars

A scar is the pinkish or brown patch of skin that grows in the place where you once had a wound or sore. They are areas of fibrous tissue that replace normal skin tissue after destruction of some of the dermis. A scar is thus the skin's natural way of repairing itself from injury. Most people have scars. The word scar is derived from the Greek word eschara, meaning fireplace.

Types of Scars:

There are several types of scars, and the most common of which are keloids, hypertrophic scars, contractures, and facial scars. Keloid scars are tissues that grow or rise beyond the wound or incision. These itchy tissues develop after wound healing takes place, when the body produces collagen.

Factors affecting scar formation :

Many factors affect the severity of scar formation, such as –

- The size and depth of the wound.

- Location of the injury on the body.

- The blood supply to the area.

- Age of the person

- The thickness, type and colour of the person’s skin.

- The direction of the scar.

Treatment for Scars:

1. Vitamin E in any form is and ideal solution for any skin related complexities. Whether it is as vitamin E capsules or plain and simple vitamin E oil, it is very effective in the treatment of scars on the skin.

2. The alkaloids present in the tea leaves help heal the scars faster. Soak a handful of tea leaves and then wrap them in a bag and keep the same pressed over the affected area for sometime regularly.

3. A mixture of sandalwood paste and black gram paste helps reduce the intensity of scars if started early.

4. Rubbing your skin with ice cubes helps to tighten the skin.

5. You can use cucumber and lemon juice on your scars.

6. To prevent deepening of the scars, apply aloe vera gel, cod liver oil or vitamin E oil.

7. Applying cocoa butter is also a good remedy in getting rid of the scars.

8. Surgery will never completely remove a scar but can be used to alter its location or shape to make it less noticeable.

9. The use of laser on scars is still on an experimental phase, as the safety or effectiveness has not yet been proven.

10. Z-plasty is a surgical technique used to relocate a scar so that it more closely matches to the natural creases of the skin, where it will be less noticeable.

11. A course of steroid injections into the scar may help flatten and soften the appearance of keloid or hypertrophic scars.

12. Grafting involves the transfer of skin from a healthy part of the body to cover the injured area. All grafts leave some scarring at the donor and recipient sites.