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The healing process of a scar is influenced by external factors and individual predisposition. The process of scar healing takes six to twelve months.
A scar is evaluated by the affected body part, orientation, length, width, contours (raised or indented), color, and firmness. Scars can also be accompanied by pain, itching, restricted movement, loss of sensation and the formation of hair follicles. Bulging scars are referred to as scar hypertrophy – not to be confused with scar proliferation, also called scar keloid.
Favorable for the inconspicuous healing of a scar is the alignment of the scar along the skin tension lines or Langer lines (English Relaxed skin tension lines). Fine atraumatic and tension-free suturing of the wound is equally important for an attractive result. Age, body site, predisposition and healing phase also have an impact on healing.
Cigarette smoking and inflammation promoted by it 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.
For wounds on the chest or abdomen, negative pressure treatment can promote a fine scar in selected cases. After wound healing, the appearance is supported by massaging the scar with a fat cream.
The protection from UV light prevents a noticeable darkening of the scar. By applying a silicone patch, the scar heals better and softer. It is believed that the application of a silicone sheet regulates the release of certain growth factors (TGF-β2), vascularization and collagen formation of 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 girdles, for example, apply a constant pressure on the scar of ideally 25-40 millimeters of mercury. Due to the lengthy healing process of a scar, consistent and regular application of the supporting measures (massage, silicone plaster, pressure treatment) is required for at least six to twelve months.
After 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.