Scar Basics

A scar is the buildup of new collagen fibers that form to quickly close (which is why scars are also known as adhesions) any opening in the dermis, a layer of the skin that is deep as well as sensitive to injury. The size and shape of scars depends on the injury, your age, the location of the scar and size, nutrition, genetics and if any infection has taken place.

Scar tissue is different from healthy, uninjured skin, not only in its appearance. It is less resistant to UV radiation and lacks hair follicles and sweat glands. The skin is less elastic and more restrictive than healthy skin. Itchiness of scars is also quite common.

Types of Scars

As the body often errs when producing collagen in response to an injury, scars can have too much or too little collagen. Excess collagen causes the scarring to be elevated above the normal skin level. Hypertrophic scars and keloid scars are both caused by an excess of collagen. A hypertrophic scar is typically erythematous, meaning it is red, pink or purple in color, and is stiffer than the healthy surrounding skin. They are most commonly found in areas of high skin tension. Keloid scars differ from hypertrophic scars in that they continue to grow outside of the site of injury, often forming tumor-like growths. This type of scar is recognizable by those who have not taken good care of piercings. Both of these raised scars are more common in those with dark skin.

Atrophic scars, depressions in the skin, form when fat or muscle supporting the skin is lost. These can form as result of surgery, chicken pox and acne breakouts. Typically, this type of scar forms when the skin is stretched rapidly. You might be familiar with stretch marks that occur due to rapid weight gain during pregnancy. Lastly, when the skin is under stress from an injury, atrophic scars can result. As joints are often sites of injury, the rapid stretch and resulting scar is located typically near them.

Hypertrophic Scar Treatment

There is a wide variety of scar removal treatments available that are designed to improve the appearance of scars, both natural and medically-based. Some scar home remedies are the topical application of onion extract, cocoa butter, honey and vitamin E. Lemon juice can also be applied to scar tissue if lightening is desired.

Advanced treatments for treating hypertrophic scars might involve one or more of the following: prescription topical creams, dermabrasion, laser treatment, surgery and/or collagen or steroid injections. Skin grafting and z-plasty are two surgical hypertrophic scar removal methods. Z-plasty describes the process that cuts out the scar and places it in a spot that has a similar appearance. Skin grafting covers the scar with a healthy patch of skin from another part of the body.

If you need to treat hypertrophic acne scars, a dermatologist might recommend dermabrasion or a microdermabrasion cream to smooth the surface of the scar. How to get rid of acne scars? Dermatologists can also remove the scar and use small stitches that help the skin heal with smaller, less noticeable scars. Unfortunately, there is no complete way for healing hypertrophic acne scars.