by Sandra_James on Thu Apr 19, 2018 10:21 am
So you have a fresh new scar, and you’re ready to do whatever it takes to make it look as good as possible. What do you put on it? How do you protect it? There are so many lotions and potions out there, it’s hard to know what works. The short answer is: not much does. But the good news is that there are a few simple principles, and a few technologies that can make a difference in making that mark fade from view.
If your scar is the result of surgery or a cut, having it repaired properly is a key to success. Make sure it is done in an aesthetic clinic. Once the wound is repaired and healing, the number one factor in avoiding scar darkening is sun exposure.
Over the course of its maturation, a scar will pick up sun pigment differently than normal tissue. Instead of tanning and then fading, it will pick up color slowly but continuously, in a pretty much irreversible manner. Sunblock therapy is the most important element in cosmetic scar healing, and I recommend daily sunblock for almost all healing wounds, rain or shine.
The next key to optimizing your scar is massage. During that year and a half that the scar is maturing, it is continuously changing its structure. Routine massage can tell the scar what to do, or how to remodel itself. It can suggest “flatten” or “smooth,” leaving a much more regular texture to the scar. Massage therapy should be performed daily for several months in a row to maximize its benefit.