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Scars

When skin is damaged, the body produces special cells to repair it. Scars are the sections of repaired skin that do not look like natural skin even after they are healed.

Age: The older a person is, the slower the skin heals, making scars more likely.

Skin Type: In general, people with darker or very light skin are more susceptible to noticeable scarring.

Hormones: Different hormonal levels may affect the way a person’s skin scars.

Location: In places on the body where the skin is subject to tension, such as at the joints or shoulders, more noticeable scars are likely to form.

Complications: Infection/inflammation during the healing process means a higher risk of scarring.

Genetic Predisposition: Hereditary factors also play a role in the healing of the wound and, therefore, could make the skin prone to scarring.

Some scars have too much collagen and other tissues, which causes raised skin. Some have too little collagen, which causes the scar to be lower than the skin around it. Repaired skin might have no hair follicles, be less elastic (or flexible), and form longer strands of tissue compared to the skin around it. These changes create different types of scars.

Causes of scars

Scars can occur from any damage to the skin, but they can be worse if any scabs that form are removed too early. A number of other events or conditions can cause scars.

All information is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a replacement for professional medical advice. You should seek professional medical care if you have any concerns about your skin.

You cannot avoid all scars, but you can do many things to improve how a scar looks. You can also prevent scars by taking steps to prevent injuries and other damage to your skin.

• Pay attention to your skin. Talk to a doctor early about acne plus other conditions and diseases that can damage the skin.
• Follow your doctor’s instructions for caring for your skin, wounds and scars. Ask questions about how to use products and medicines, and use them the right way every time.
• Learn how to care for scabs, acne pimples and similar skin conditions. Do not pick scabs or squeeze pimples, because this can cause scarring.
• Learn about your risk for getting different types of scars. Some types might be common among members of your family.
• Understand how wounds heal, so you will know when your skin is most at risk for scarring or re-injury.
• Protect healing skin and scars by using skin products with sunscreen and onion extract.

If you would like to improve the look of a scar or if a scar limits your ability to move because of pain or tight skin, talk to your doctor about all your options for care and treatment.

All information is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a replacement for professional medical advice. You should seek professional medical care if you have any concerns about your skin.

Who gets stretch marks, and why?

The medical term for stretch marks is Striae distensae, and exact causes for it are still unknown. Some researchers think they are caused by the overstretching of connective tissue in the skin or by hormones. Others theorize they run in the family or can even be caused by a type of infection.1 No matter the cause, about 68% of women and 24% of men develop stretch marks.

A number of events and conditions can cause stretch marks.

Pregnancy

As many as 90% of women get stretch marks when they are pregnant. It’s not surprising that these marks commonly occur first during the sixth and seventh months – when the body is changing to prepare for delivery and the baby is large enough that the mother can feel her baby’s body or head when she touches her stomach. During this time, stretch marks can appear on the stomach, hips and breasts.

Rapid weight gain

The way skin reacts to weight change also causes stretch marks. People who gain weight quickly can develop stretch marks, and losing weight quickly after gaining weight might even make stretch marks more noticeable because the skin becomes looser and less taut.

Rapid growth

Growth or stretching of skin over a short period of time can also cause stretch marks. This is why they are common in adolescents during growth spurts. During these periods of rapid growth, stretch marks commonly occur in boys on the outer thighs and lower back. In girls, the marks are more common in the thighs, upper arms, buttocks and breasts.

About 70% of adolescent girls and 40% of adolescent boys have stretch marks.

Other causes

Though stretch marks are caused most often by pregnancy and rapid growth or changes in weight, other conditions can cause them as well:

• Some types of bodybuilding where muscle mass increases quickly.
• Stretching skin at the site of stitches.
• Overuse of steroids, cortisone skin creams or corticosteroids (Cushing syndrome).
• Some inherited conditions that affect connective tissues (Ehlers-Danlos syndrome).

REFERENCES:

• Striae Distensae (Stretch Marks) and Different Modalities of Therapy: An Update, Dermatologic Surgery, April 2009.
• 2011 Survey Conducted by Merz North America, Inc.

Stretch marks appear on areas of the skin that have expanded quickly and look like bands, stripes or lines. They can develop on the stomach, hips, thighs, buttocks, breasts and other places on the body.1

When stretch marks are new, they might be slightly raised and itchy. Coloring can range from red, pink or even brown,2 and the skin might seem thin or glossy. In time, the marks get longer and might turn a deep purple in color. Eventually, stretch marks smooth out and become “atrophic” or sunken areas of skin. They also change to a whitish color.

REFERENCES:

• Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, Superficial Dermabrasion in the Treatment of Recent Stretch Marks, March 2009.
• Striae Distensae (Stretch Marks) and Different Modalities of Therapy: An Update, Dermatologic Surgery, April 2009.

What type of scar do you have?

Scars come in various shapes, sizes and even colors. These different characteristics depend on many factors: how the skin was damaged, how well the skin heals, your personal and family history of scarring, how old the scar is and where it is on your body. Likewise, each different type might need different types of care or treatment.

What type of scar do you have?

Atrophic scars (pronounced aye TRO fick) form a depression or sunken area because of damage to the collagen, fat or other tissues below the skin. These scars are caused by: Acne, chickenpox, surgery and accidents.

Keloid and hypertrophic scars are dense, raised scars that are thicker than surrounding skin. They occur when the body produces too much collagen while a wound heals. They can be removed by surgery, but might return.

Keloid (pronounced KEY loyd) scars occur when too many cells grow at the site of a skin injury. The resulting tissue covers the wound and some part of surrounding skin. These red-purple scars do not usually go away by themselves. They are more common in people who are African-American, Hispanic or Asian.

Hypertrophic (pronounced HI purr TRO fick) scars are also raised, but they do not usually expand beyond the wound. They can fade at least partially without any treatment.

All information is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a replacement for professional medical advice. You should seek professional medical care if you have any concerns about your skin.

Helping prevent stretch marks from pregnancy starts in the 2nd trimester

The second trimester of pregnancy is a special time. You’re happy, excited, and radiating with that famous pregnancy glow. It’s also the time when you start to notice your “little” baby bump is growing bigger by the day, and it’s when many moms-to-be start worrying about stretch marks.

Now, you might think stretch marks are inevitable, but there are steps you can take to help prevent stretch marks during and post pregnancy.

First off, it’s important to remember that pregnancy stretch marks are incredibly common. Studies show that as many as 90% of women get stretch marks during pregnancy which often first appear during the sixth and seventh months, when the body begins to prepare for delivery.

Helping prevent stretch marks during pregnancy starts with understanding how they occur. While the exact cause is unknown, pregnancy stretch marks may come from hormonal changes and overstretching of connective tissue in the skin to accommodate your growing baby. As your stomach grows bigger, your skin must stretch along with it. Since this process happens rapidly, skin that isn’t well hydrated and elastic can be damaged, which may result in stretch marks.

Think of a rubber band. If the rubber band is dry and brittle, it can fray and tear when stretched. Conversely, if the rubber band is soft and supple, it can easily stretch without any negative impact. This same principle applies to your skin during pregnancy. By ensuring your skin stays well hydrated and maintains its optimal elasticity as you and your baby grow, you may be able to help prevent pregnancy stretch marks.

There are many ways you can help keep your skin more hydrated and elastic. You can promote collagen development by eating a balanced diet rich in vitamins E and C and zinc; you can hydrate your skin by drinking lots of water every day; and you can exercise regularly to improve your circulation. In addition to these measures, you can keep the surface of your skin soft and supple by applying Mederma® Stretch Marks Therapy, which locks moisture in to help prevent stretch marks,*and may be used during pregnancy, beginning in the second trimester. Apply it generously to your stomach, hips and breasts, and gently massage in a circular motion until fully absorbed. Repeat this process two times a day, morning and evening.

If you’re worried about stretch marks, it may be possible to help prevent them. All it takes is diligence and a new routine from your second trimester through delivery and nursing.

*Mederma® Stretch Marks Therapy is clinically shown to increase the moisture content of the skin, thereby helping to keep skin more elastic and less apt to tear and form stretch marks.

Wounds to the skin and tissue can heal on their own over time. But scars will remain after those wounds heal.

Many people decide to give special attention to scars when they:

• Want to improve self-confidence due to scars that are very visible on the face, hands or arms, for example.
• Have pain, itching, swelling, scabs or other discomfort as the skin heals.
• Have pain or discomfort of underlying tissues, tendons and nerves because of how the scar heals.
• Tend to scar easily.

Types of care for scars

Once you have a scar, it will not go away completely. However, proper care can help wounds heal with less scarring. And once the wound has closed, you can take steps to help improve how a scar looks or feels. Talk to your doctor about how to care for your skin to reduce the appearance of scarring, and about what you can expect for any scar care he or she may recommend.

Non-Prescription Products

Depending on the cause and type of scar, different products can help manage different concerns like pinkness or redness, for example. Others can help improve the appearance of a scar in other ways.

• Antibacterial cream and a bandage will help to prevent infections and can help skin heal more quickly.
• Scar products with sunscreen can help keep scars from getting darker.
• For pain during healing, non-prescription pain products can help.
• Products with onion extract (like Mederma® products) can reduce discoloration and improve the overall appearance and texture of scars.
• Silicone gels and sheets can help prevent too much scar tissue from forming.
• Special makeup can hide or camouflage scars.

In-office care your doctor may suggest

For scars that cause pain, discomfort or limit your ability to move easily, your family doctor, plastic surgeon or a dermatologist (a doctor who specializes in skin conditions) has many options to care for you. For the best possible results when caring for scars, be sure to follow the directions of your doctor and those on the labels of any products you use.

Some options for care include:

• Steroid injections, or shots, which can sometimes flatten scars and reduce itching. This is often a first step to making larger or deeper scars less obvious.
• Physical therapy (especially for contracture scars), including massage with gels that contain onion extract.
• Chemical peels, dermabrasion and other procedures to remove the upper layer of skin so that new, smoother skin can grow back. These skin “revisions” also include laser surgery, skin grafting, and other types of surgery.

Talk to your doctor about how to care for your skin to lessen scarring, and about what you can expect from any care or treatment.

All information is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a replacement for professional medical advice. You should seek professional medical care if you have any concerns about your skin.

Wounds heal in several, overlapping steps. How fast and well any skin damage heals depends on many factors, including a person’s health and age, location and type of injury, and care for the wound while it is healing.

Listed below are the steps or phases when skin heals normally:

Phase 1: “Inflammatory” Phase

After an injury, a number of substances in the body reach the site of the wound quickly to begin to repair it. Besides causing blood to clot, these substances help remove damaged cells, germs and any foreign items (such as dirt). They also help create new cells that are important to healing. As one of the first steps in healing a wound, the body starts to form a scab, or crusty layer. Removing scabs too early can cause more skin damage and cause larger scars. So to lessen scarring and improve healing, experts suggest leaving most scabs alone. Protect the scab and wound by keeping them covered and moist (with an antibacterial cream) while new skin cells grow beneath it. After a while, the scab will loosen and fall off.

Phase 2: “Proliferation” Phase

New skin cells begin to form over a wound during this phase, which begins hours after an injury. The repair continues for three to 14 days. During this phase, the body also creates collagen, an important protein that is in the skin and connective tissues, plus other substances to help the skin draw closed. If scabs are present, they will eventually dry up and fall off. Wounds that are kept moist with antibiotic creams develop new skin cells faster, according to plastic surgeons.

Phase 3: “Maturation” Phase

More complete healing continues in phase 3, about three weeks after an injury. Water begins to gradually leave the scar, and collagen fibers begin to lie closer together. This process makes the wounded skin stronger. After about two months, the area of the wound will be about as strong as it can be, which is about 80 percent as strong as unwounded skin. This phase of healing can continue for months or even years. All information is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a replacement for professional medical advice. You should seek professional medical care if you have any concerns about your skin.

Researchers don’t always agree about what causes stretch marks1, but that hasn’t kept people from taking guesses. Here are some myths and facts we do know, to help you sort it all out.

Myth: If you have stretch marks, you must be overweight.

Fact: Stretch marks occur when the skin is overstretched. That happens when you gain weight, of course. But it also occurs during pregnancy, rapid growth or any time the skin is stretched too far too quickly.

Myth: Only women get stretch marks.

Fact: Women do get stretch marks more often, but about one in four men (24%)1 get them, too. Boys can also get them when there’s rapid growth during puberty, for example. Plus, bodybuilders of either sex can get stretch marks if they build muscle mass too quickly.

Myth: Losing weight will make your stretch marks disappear.

Fact: Unfortunately, losing weight doesn’t mean you’ll lose the stretch marks. In fact, weight loss can sometimes cause stretch marks to appear more noticeable because the skin becomes looser and less taut.

Myth: You can’t do anything about stretch marks.

Fact: You can. Increasing the moisture content of skin keeps it more elastic and less apt to tear and form stretch marks, even during pregnancy. Plus, if they do appear, research has shown that certain products and treatments can improve how they look and feel. Mederma® Stretch Marks Therapy can both help prevent stretch marks2and improve the appearance of existing stretch marks. . For expecting moms, it may be used beginning in the second trimester and while breastfeeding.

Myth: There’s no need to take care of stretch marks.

Fact: This might be the biggest myth. It is true that stretch marks rarely cause medical problems. But for some people, they cause embarrassment and distress.3 That’s why dermatologists (doctors who specialize in skin conditions) and researchers have worked hard to find ways to treat them.

REFERENCES:

• Striae Distensae (Stretch Marks) and Different Modalities of Therapy: An Update, Dermatologic Surgery, April 2009.
• Mederma® Stretch Marks Therapy is clinically shown to increase the moisture content of the skin, thereby helping to keep skin more elastic and less apt to tear and form stretch marks.
• 2011 Survey Conducted by Merz North America, Inc.

The best way is to keep them from appearing in the first place. Mederma® Stretch Marks Therapy increases the moisture content of skin. Moisturized, supple skin is more elastic and less apt to form stretch marks. If you’re pregnant, you may begin using it as soon as the second trimester. For existing stretch marks, experts believe that the most effective way to reduce them is to begin care as soon as possible, preferably when the marks first form1. But even those with older stretch marks have options to improve how they look and feel.

Dermatologists and researchers report that:

• Creams with onion extract, like Mederma® Stretch Marks Therapy, can significantly improve the softness, texture and appearance of stretch marks.
• Heavy moisturizers and other over-the-counter products that are good for hydrating the skin can sometimes make stretch marks softer, look better and can reduce itchiness.
• Self-tanners and sunless tanning products can help camouflage stretch marks. (But avoid suntans and tanning beds, because they not only can make the stretch marks appear worse, they’re also not good for the health of your skin.)
• Prescription cream with tretinoin (which comes from Vitamin A) can reduce the length and width of stretch marks when they are new, though it’s not recommended for pregnant or nursing mothers.
• Chemical peels can improve how skin feels and looks.
• Laser therapy can improve the color of stretch marks and how elastic, or flexible, the skin is.

REFERENCES:

• Striae Distensae (Stretch Marks) and Different Modalities of Therapy: An Update, Dermatologic Surgery, April 2009.
• SKINmed: Dermatology for the Clinician, April 2010.