Cosmetic Surgery and Beauty Magazine #68

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Types of scars
There are lots of different causes of scarring, but not all scars are the same.
Some types of scars include stretch marks and chicken pox scars, whereas
scars that are deemed problematic include hypertrophic and keloid.
Flat, pale scars are most common and are a result of the body’s natural
healing process. Initially, they may be red or dark and raised after the wound
has healed but will become paler and flatter naturally over time.
Sunken scars are recessed into the skin and are usually a result of injury.
They may be indented due to the skin being attached to deeper structures
(such as muscles) or to loss of underlying fat. Another reason for sunken
scars is residual pitting from acne and chicken pox.
Stretch marks develop when the skin is stretched rapidly, for example
during pregnancy, weight loss or gain or a growth spurt. Initially, stretch
marks appear red but become paler over a number of years.
Hypertrophic scars
When a normal wound heals, the body produces new collagen at a rate
that matches the breakdown of old collagen. A hypertrophic scar is formed
when the collagen is able to build up on the surface of the wound. The scar
remains within the confines of the original injury but is hard, raised and red.
They may itch, though are not usually painful.
Hypertrophic scars are more common in young people with darker skin
and those with an inherited tendency to this type of scarring. It is not possible
to completely prevent hypertrophic scars and they do come as a risk of
surgery. Anyone who has suffered one should inform their doctor prior to a
procedure. Scar therapies that may speed up the process of change from a
hypertrophic scar to a flatter, paler one are available.
Keloid scars
Like hypertrophic scars, keloids are the result of an imbalance in the
production of collagen in a healing wound. Unlike hypertrophic scars,
keloids grow beyond the boundary of the original wound, affecting healthy
tissue and creating lumpy scars that can continue to grow indefinitely. They
may be itchy or painful and may not improve in appearance over time.
Anybody can get a keloid scar and they can occur anywhere on the
body. However, young people, whose skin has a tendency to over-repair,
and those with darker skin are around 15 times more prone to this type of
scarring. It is also more common on certain parts of the body such as the
ears, chest, shoulders and back.
If you’ve developed a keloid scar, you are more likely to be prone to
this condition in the future and should alert your doctor when undergoing a
cosmetic procedure.
Internal scars
An internal scar is an adhesion that can be formed deep inside the body
or just below the skin’s surface. They occur when the tissue that has been
operated on develops a scar that sticks organs to tissues. Those just below
the skin surface can cause problems with muscles and tendons.
The most common site is on the chest where the scar can connect to
the sternum, however hands are generally the most problematic. When the
top layer of skin becomes attached to the muscle or tendon beneath, it can
cause other symptoms, such as rigidly fixed curled fingers.
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