Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsScar FormationTreatmentPrevention
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Scar Formation
Treatment
Prevention
Eczema scars result from changes in skin pigmentation or texture that remain after an eczema flare-up, often as a result of scratching. Usually, eczema doesn’t leave scars. Typically, the skin changes that occur as a result of eczema heal and go away, but in some cases, they persist.
Understanding how to handle eczema flare-ups can help you to manage or prevent eczema scars. When discoloration or texture changes remain after eczema has cleared, there are home remedies and clinical treatments that can help the scars go away.
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How Eczema Scars Form
Eczema is a term used for a group of skin conditions that cause red, itchy, inflamed skin. Eczema does not directly cause scars. But there are two different ways in which eczema might leave lasting marks: Skin damaged from itching can leave scars and changes to skin pigment may also persist and leave a mark.
Scars From Scratching
If you scratch your skin so much that it bleeds, you’ll cause an open wound, which can lead to a scar—a normal part of the healing process.
Wounds heal in overlapping stages: hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling.
Scars from Pigment Changes
Healed wounds generallyleave scarsthat eventually blend in with the color of your skin. However, this doesn’t always happen. Abnormal pigmentation (coloring) of an eczema scar can occur.
After an eczema flare-up, some melanin cells experience hyperpigmentation, an increase in the production of skin pigmentation, which can also lead to inflammation, especially in darker-skinned people. This post-flare-up response can cause the skin to become dark and leathery (called lichenification). The dark patches that remain may last weeks or months.
Skin changes can also occur as a result of hypopigmentation, or a lack of pigment in the skin, leading to light or white patches of skin. These pigment changes can occur with inflammation or scratching—even if it doesn’t break the skin.
Pigment changes that result from hyper-, or hypopigmentation can occur in light and dark-skinned people, but they are often more noticeable in dark-skinned people.
Unfortunately, there’s no magic wand for getting rid of eczema scars. Although many eczema scars fade slowly over a few years, some may persist.
You should always wait until your eczema flare-up is fully resolved before attempting to treat the scars. There are home treatments available to treat eczema scars as well as in-office procedures to consider. Your healthcare provider can help you decide which treatments are best for you.
Home Treatments
Some people also choose to transform their scar with a tattoo.However, you’ll need to take extra precautions. Avoid getting a tattoo during aflare-up, and make sure your skin is well-hydrated prior to your appointment. Consult with your dermatologist prior to getting a tattoo to determine if it’s an appropriate treatment for you.
Clinical Treatments
The best way to prevent eczema scars is to avoid scratching. This can be extremely difficult if you have thisintensely itchy condition. But if you don’t control the itching, you may create an itch-scratch cycle, leading to more inflamed skin and potentially scarring.
The itch-scratch cycle occurs when the desire to itch causes you to scratch your eczema rash. Scratching causes the rash to get worse and leads to more itchiness and an increased need to scratch. The cycle continues until you are able to stop scratching so that the inflammation and itchiness can calm down.
To avoid the itch-scratch cycle and find relief from itchy skin, try these methods:
Summary
Long-term skin damage from eczema, such as scarring or pigmentation changes, can add another layer of stress whendealing with this chronic condition. However, there are many ways to prevent scarring and improve the appearance of existing scars. Talk to your doctor about possible interventions to improve your quality of life.
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