Why can’t our skin heal back flawlessly? Oh, don’t we all wish for that. But to figure out what scars are and why they form after an injury, we have to first understand what happens in the wound when we get injured – so let’s go on a journey through the wound healing process!
The skin is breached by an injury.
Your body sends signals to clot the blood around the injury, to stop the bleeding.1
White blood cells then proceed to clear out dead cells, pathogens and debris.1
Water loss from the break in the skin’s protective layer triggers the skin into healing mode.2
The water loss activates fibroblasts, which rapidly produce collagen to rebuild the injured area.2
To close up the wound quickly, the collagen is haphazardly deposited instead of carefully woven like the rest of your skin, resulting in a scar.3
As injuries and the extent of damage to your skin’s structure varies, they will affect this healing process in different ways, resulting in different types of scarring.
Hypertrophic scars4
What they look like
Raised scars that run along the original injury.
Why they form
When the body produces too much collagen during wound healing.
Keloid scars4
What they look like
Raised, dark scars that extend beyond the boundary of the original wound.
Why they form
When scar tissue continues to grow even after the wound has healed. Exactly what causes keloid scarring is not really known, although it could be genetic.
Contracture scars5
What they look like
Rough, uneven scars where the skin looks pulled together.
Why they form
When the surrounding skin shrinks and tightens, usually after a burn.
Atrophic scars4
What they look like
Sunken, pitted scars.
Why they form
When the fat underneath the skin is lost during the injury, most commonly caused by acne.
Is there nothing we can do? I don’t want ugly scars!
Actually, there is! Even after your injury appears to have healed, your skin is still working hard underneath that scar to restore everything as best as it can. By supporting this healing process with over-the-counter scar treatment products such as Dermatix® silicone gels, your body will be able to heal with minimal scarring!