Scars can vary by appearance, texture, size and severity. This variety depends on how you obtained the scar in the first place, how deep the initial wound was, whether you got treated for it (stitches), and where it occurs on your body. Scars form in response to wounds attained from cuts, burns, piercings, tattoos, acne and surgical procedures. Two classifications of scars – keloid and hypertrophic – are common forms of scarring that can be unsightly, itchy, and even painful.
Continue learning more about two of the most common scars, and how are they each treated with the clinically-proven solution? Let’s explore this further.
Keloid scars
The American Academy of Dermatology indicates that a keloid is a type of raised scar. Unlike other raised scars, keloids grow much larger than the initial wound area that caused the scar.
Keloid scars are cutaneous conditions resulting from scar tissue overgrowth. When a person sustains a wound that penetrates the dermis, or middle layer of the skin, fibroblasts and keratinocytes respond by synthesizing massive amounts of collagen. Collagen, a common structural protein, is then sent to the open wound, promoting the growth factor and skin contraction. Old skin tissue is replaced with new tissue, and we are left with a scar.
Not everyone who gets a scar will develop a keloid. If you have keloid-prone skin, however, anything that can cause a scar may lead to a keloid. This includes a cut, burn, or severe acne. Some people see a keloid after they pierce their ears or get a tattoo. A keloid can also form as chickenpox clear. Sometimes, a surgical scar becomes a keloid.
In very rare cases, keloids form when people do not injure their skin. These are called “spontaneous keloids.”
A keloid usually takes time to appear. After an injury, months can pass before this scar appears. A keloid can also form more quickly.
Once it begins, a keloid can enlarge slowly for months or years.
The size and shape of keloids vary. On an earlobe, you’ll likely see a round, solid mass. When a keloid forms on a shoulder or the chest, the raised scar tends to spread out across the skin. It often looks like a liquid spilled on the skin and then hardened.
As these raised scars grow, they may feel painful or itchy. A keloid that covers a joint or large area can decrease a person’s ability to move that part of the body. Contact your dermatologist immediately if these symptoms worsen.
Hypertrophic scars
A hypertrophic scar looks similar to a keloid. Hypertrophic scars are more common. They don’t get a big as keloids, and may fade with time. They occur in all racial groups. Keloids are considered a benign tumor, but they are mainly a cosmetic nuisance and never become malignant, says The American Osteopathic College of Dermatology.
A hypertrophic scar is a thickened, wide, often raised scar that develops where skin is injured. Scars are common during the wound healing process, but a hypertrophic scar is a result of an abnormal response to a trauma or injury.
In certain people, body cells called fibroblasts produce too much collagen during healing. This can happen simply as a result of a person’s skin type and healing tendencies. More commonly, overproduction of collagen occurs when a wound is infected or inflamed, under a great deal of tension or motion (such as in injuries over a joint), or left to heal without stitches.
The scars are a frequent complication of burn injuries, but can also form after piercings, cuts, or even acne. Hypertrophic scars are similar to keloid scars but tend to be milder and don’t grow beyond the boundaries of the original skin injury.
The scars aren’t dangerous or life-threatening. They can be itchy and painful, but more often are simply a cosmetic issue. Some people seek treatment to minimize the appearance of the scar. There isn’t an officially established treatment regimen for hypertrophic scars, Luckily, with the help of modern technology and creative ingenuity, an effective topical solution for scar management is widely available and easily attainable to help improve the scar appearance to be less noticeable.
Silicone gel for scar management
Silicone gel contains long chain silicone polymer (polysiloxanes), silicone dioxide and volatile component. It spreads as an ultra- thin barrier and works 24 hours per day. It has a self drying technology and itself dries within 4-5 minutes, even within 60 seconds like Nourisil™ MD silicone scar gel. Silicone gel increases hydration of stratum corneum and thereby facilitates regulation of fibroblast production and reduction in collagen production, which results into softer and flatter scar. It allows skin to “breathe”.
Additionally, silicone gel protects the scarred tissue from bacterial invasion and prevents bacteria-induced excessive collagen production in the scar tissue.
Silicone gel technology is a clinically-proven treatment option for reducing scars with over 30 years of evidence to support its effectiveness. DTPmedical supplies the high quality silicone-based scar products such as Nourisil™ MD, Bapscarcare Gel, Bapscarcare Sheet. Ask your doctor which therapy option is right for you.