How to reduce scarring.

There are many myths and old wive tales surrounding the treatment of scars. For example, some people believe that you should apply peroxide to cuts and leave them exposed to open air, and some people still believe that when you burn yourself, you should put butter, lotion or oil on the burn. This is exactly what you should NOT do, this traps the heat next to the skin, so what you are essentially doing is frying your skin.

 I am not a doctor, but I can write this article because I have cut and burned myself many many times, on everything from hair straighteners and Irons to chemicals and even Tea tree oil and at one point, toothpaste! Yet I have no visible scars!

Cuts: This depends on how deep the cut is, if you have cut the second layer of skin, you should seek medical attention, as you may need stitches to prevent infection. For minor cuts, wash the cut immediately and make sure you wash it thoroughly. Dry the cut well and put a plaster over it straightaway.

Change the plaster two to three times a day, any more than this and the repeated pulling at the skin could cause damage.

Letting the air get to it: This is a contraversial subject, many people will tell you that the longer the plaster is off, the faster it will heal, and many people will tell you that the wound must be covered at all times and you should let as little air as possible get to the area. Now, from personal experience I would have to say that the best thing to do is to cover it up for 3/4 of the day and to leave it uncovered for the other 1/4.

Creams: You will need to apply anti bacterial or anti septic creams to the wound every so often, make sure your hands are clean and dry before you do this.

Once the wound has started to heal, then you can start to think about scar reduction creams and techniques.

Cuts: Apply non-scented moisturiser or scar reduction cream to the area. Cover with a plaster and leave overnight. Take the plaster off in the morning, wash the area and repeat the process with a clean plaster. Take the plaster off about 4 hours later and leave uncovered until you are ready to go to bed. Repeat this until the wound is severely diminished and when you are able to take the plaster off permanently, apply scar serum every 3-4 hours until the scar is reduced or has disappeared.

Burns: Again, this depend on the severity of the burn. Burns that are very severe WILL require medical attention from a professional.

But for minor burns, once the burn has started to heal slightly, apply scar reduction serum and cover with a dressing or plaster. This will need to be repeated every 2-3 hours, leaving the wound uncovered for about 4 hours per day. Before going to bed, apply scar serum generously and cover with a waterproof plaster. Remove the plaster in the morning and do not wash the wound with any kind of soap, use only warm or cold water. Repeat this until you are able to remove the plaster without risk of infection. When the plaster is removed, apply the serum every 2-3 hours and rub in for about 5 minutes,repeat this until the scar is reduced or has disappeared.

There are also other measures you can take when trying to reduce a scar, taking a vitamin e pill every day can help. Some people also recommend "steaming" your face. This involves putting boiling water into a bowl and placing a towel over your head and holding your head over the bowl until the steam has gone.

Scar reduction serums: There are many creams and serums available that have different ingredients in them that do different things. The most important ingredients in a scar reducing serum are vitamin e (renowned for its scar reducing properties) and Shark liver oil (stimulates the production of collagen which helps the skin repair itself). The higher the concentration of these ingredients, the more effective the serum should be. I have used many and the one I found to be the most effective is Palmers scar serum, it has a high concentration of vitamin e and shark liver oil, it smells a bit bad (like cod liver oil) but the smell is only noticeable to the whoever is wearing it.

Please note that some scars are going to stay, these methods are to help reduce the likelihood of scars and diminish their appearance, there is no guarantee that they will completely get rid of the scar.