Scars and scarring
The healing process of a scar is influenced by external factors and individual disposition. The scar healing process takes six to twelve months.
A scar is assessed according to the affected body part, alignment, length, width, contours (raised or indented), color and firmness. Scars can also be accompanied by pain, itching, restricted movement, impaired sensation and the formation of hair vessels. Bulging scars are referred to as scar hypertrophy – not to be confused with scar proliferation, also known as cicatricial keloid.
What influences scarring?
The alignment of the scar along the skin tension lines or Langer lines is favorable for the inconspicuous healing of a scar. A fine, atraumatic and tension-free suture of the wound is also important for an attractive result. Age, the body site, predisposition and the healing phase also have an influence on healing.
Cigarette smoking and the inflammation it promotes have a detrimental effect on the appearance of a scar. In the face, fine scar healing can be supported by a preventive injection of a muscle relaxant.
In the case of wounds on the chest or abdomen, negative pressure treatment can promote a fine scar in selected cases. After the wound has healed, the appearance is supported by massaging the scar with a fat cream.
The protection against UV light prevents the scar from becoming noticeably darker. By applying a silicone plaster, the scar heals better and softer. It is assumed that the application of a silicone film regulates the release of certain growth factors (TGF-β2), vascularization and collagen formation in the tissue. Pressure treatment can also promote fine scar healing in certain areas of the body, such as the earlobe or extremities.
Ear clips or compression garments, for example, apply constant pressure to the scar, ideally 25-40 millimeters of mercury. Due to the lengthy healing process of a scar, consistent and regular application of supportive measures (massage, silicone plaster, pressure treatment) is required for at least six to twelve months.
Once the physiological healing process is complete, we can offer you various treatment measures in our plastic surgery practice. These include cortisone injections, nanofat injections, microneedling, treatment with the patient’s own blood and surgical scar correction.
