What are the Home Remedies for Minimizing Scars?

A scar can be defined as a pinkish or brownish patch which is seen in place of a wound or sore.  Scars are, in fact, the natural way a skin repairs itself after it is torn by a wound or a medical surgery.  They are fibrous tissues which are formed and replace the original skin tissues.

Most of these scars are permanent and cannot be removed permanently, but they can be minimized to a great extent.  It mostly depends on the severity of the wound and the type of scar.  Also, the scars can be healed according to the individual’s body capacity of healing.  Various treatments are available for removal and faster healing of the scars.

There are various factors which affect the scar formation.  These may include the location of the wound, the size as well as the depth of the wound and the age of the person and his capacity to produce new collagen tissues.

The different types of scars are –

·        Keloid Scars – Keloids are the most common scars that appear as itchy clusters which are formed beyond the scar wounds.  They are produced due to over production of the collagen which helps to heal a wound.  These keloid scars can be treated with steroid injections in the wound.  But mostly keloid scars do appear again after some time.

·        Hypertrophic Scars – These are the scars which are formed on the wound and heal off on their own after a specific time period.  These scars can also be treated by steroids.

·        Contractures – These scars are formed when a skin is burned and the tissues of the skin come together in the healing process.  These scars are very difficult to heal on their own and as such a process of skin graft or flap is needed to treat these scars.

·        Facial Scars – Facial scars are due to wounds and are mostly treated by stitches or dermabrasion technique.  But these scars are very difficult to heal. 

There are various home remedies which minimize the scars and can be tried out without any harmful or side-effects.

·        Lemon Juice – Lemon juice is most commonly used to treat scars.  Lemon has acidic value as well as is a natural exfoliate.  This helps in the treatment of scars.  Also, lemon is used as a bleaching agent who removes the layers of dead skin on the wound making it smooth and brighter.  The overall effect is diminishing of the scar effect.

·        Honey – Honey is a natural moisturizer.  As such it helps in diminishing the scar to a great extent.  It also helps in making the skin smoother and reduces the inflammation of the wound.  Honey, on the other hand, is also useful in the production of new cells to bring back the skin cover.

·        Cucumber – Cucumber is a natural product which diminishes the scars.  It can be used daily to be applied on the scar to speed up the process of healing of scar.

·        Cocoa Butter – Cocoa butter offers a very good option for softening and diminishing of the scar as it has moisturizing properties.  This butter can be massaged over the scar twice daily.

·        Vitamin C – Using Vitamin C ointment over the scar may help to clot the blood and result in reducing the appearance of the scar.  The ascorbic acid in the vitamin C helps to a great extent.

·        Vitamin E – Similar to vitamin C, vitamin E also helps in improving the color and texture of the scar.

·        Mederma – Mederma is a gel made from the extracts of onion and allantoin.  This gel is used to diminish the scar and has to be applied regularly for a period of 4 months or more.

·        Another remedy for reduction of scar is the use of Calendula Gel.

·        Lavender oil as well as mustard-seed oil is very useful for the purpose of improving the texture of the scar.

·        Ice cubes can be applied to the scar which helps in clotting of blood.

·        A paste of Sandalwood and Black gram also helps in the process of improving the scar tissues.

These are the various home remedies that are mostly used to reduce the effect of scars.  Along with these remedies there are other procedures that can be followed for getting some speedy results.

·        Surgery can be practiced so as to alter the location of the scar or to make a scar less noticeable.

·        In some cases laser surgery can be used but its effectiveness is not yet confirmed.

·        Steroid injections.

·        Z-plasty, a new type of method, is used to relocate scars by removing and matching the skin colors making the scar less noticeable.

·        Skin grafting techniques can be employed on the scar.