Types of scars on your skin

What is a scar?

According to the UK’s National Health service (NHS),  a scar can be defined as a mark left on the skin after a wound or injury has healed.
Scars are a natural part of the healing process. Over time, most will fade, although they never completely disappear.
 

Types of Scars

A scar can be a fine line or a pitted hole on the skin, or an abnormal overgrowth of tissue.

 

Normal fine-line scars

A minor wound like a cut will usually heal to leave a raised line, which will gradually fade and flatten over time. Importantly, this process can take up to 2 years to change. Even at this point, the scar may not disappear completely, and a person may be left with a visible mark or line.
Fine-line scars are common following a wound or after surgery. They are not usually painful, but they may be itchy for a few months.

Keloid scars

A keloid scar is an overgrowth of tissue that occurs when too much collagen is produced at the site of a wound.
The scar keeps growing, even after the wound has healed.
Keloid scars are raised above the skin and can be pink, red, the same colour or darker than surrounding skin. They are often itchy or painful and can restrict movement if they're tight and near a joint.

Hypertrophic scars

Like keloid scars, hypertrophic scars are the result of excess collagen being produced at the site of a wound.
Unlike keloid scars, hypertrophic scars do not extend beyond the boundary of the original wound. They may continue to thicken for up to 6 months before gradually improving over a few years.

Pitted or sunken scars

Some scars caused by skin conditions, such as acne and chickenpox, can have a sunken or pitted appearance.
Pitted scars, also known as atrophic or "ice-pick" scars, can also develop as a result of an injury that causes a loss of underlying fat.

Scar contractures

Scar contractures are often caused by burns.
They happen when the skin "shrinks", leading to tightness and a restriction in movement.
 

Stretch Marks

Stretch marks are narrow streaks or lines that appear on the skin's surface when the deeper layer of skin (dermis) tears.
They're often caused by hormonal changes during pregnancy or puberty, or as a result of bodybuilding or hormone replacement therapy.
 

How scars normally form

 
Scarring is part of the body's natural healing process after tissue is damaged.
When the skin is wounded, the tissues break, which causes a protein called collagen to be released. Collagen builds up where the tissue is damaged, helping to heal and strengthen the wound.
New collagen continues forming for several months and the blood supply increases, causing the scar to become raised and lumpy.
Over time, some collagen breaks down at the site of the wound and the blood supply reduces. The scar gradually becomes smoother and softer.
It is important to realise that scars are permanent, they can fade over a period of up to 2 years, but it's unlikely they'll fade any more after this time.
 

Genova Skincare's Scar Gel

 
Genova’s Scar Gel is a silicone based solution which has been designed for both old and new scars.
Silicone creates a protective layer on the skin, keeping skin hydrated and protecting it from everyday irritants, while ensuring that moisture is locked in tight.
Genova Scar Gel’s key active ingredient is VANISTRYL™. This highly charged ingredient increases the skin’s elasticity and helps to visibly reduce the signs of scars.
Genova’s Scar Gel is an optimally balanced formulation which helps to flatten, soften, lighten and reduce the visible appearance of scars.
This innovative formula is ideally suited for C section scars, surgical scars and scars that have developed from injury.