Scars form any time a cut or incision is made in the skin.That’s just a truth. Despite plastic surgeons' reputations for “scarless” healing, it comes from the surgeon’s ability to camouflage or hide scars in inconspicuous places on the body.
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All Surgery Produces Scars, Whether Internal or External
3 Types of Scars
Some scars heal as a fine line and become barely perceptible. Other scars become so noticeable, that it can significantly affect the quality of life of its bearer.Yet other scars fall somewhere in between—noticeable, but not enough to make you feel overly self-conscious.
When a scar does not heal as a fine line, it can cause a great deal of anxiety. A scar that does not heal as a fine line will fall into one of three categories.
Flat and Widened Scars
An ideal scar is flat and thin.Scars may remain flat, but become widened with time. This is common in areas of constant motion, such as the knee area, the shoulder, and the back. Scars that are flat and wide can be camouflaged with makeup. Unless they are on a prominent part of the body, they do not usually cause a great deal of distress physically, emotionally, or psychologically for a person.
Raised and Widened: Keloid Scar
In order for a scar to be considered akeloid, it must have certain characteristics. A keloid scar stands out from the skin and is wider than the original incision. Keloid scars grow and spread resulting in unsightly firm nodules. They do not tend to shrink down with size and can cause discomfort in the form of pain and itching.Keloids can form on any area of the body, but the most common sites are the back, shoulders, ears, and chest. Keloid scars are the most difficult scars to treat.Treatments for keloid scarsinclude excision (cutting it out), steroid injections, and application of pressure dressings.
Raised and Widened: Hypertrophic Scar
Some scars become raised above the level of the skin and wider than the original scar. If it maintains the shape of the original incision, it is known as a hypertrophic scar.They are often red or pink but can vary in color and sometimes appear darker or lighter.
They are often confused with keloid scars. While they look similar to keloid scars in some respects, they are actually quite different. Unlike a keloid scar, a hypertrophic scar will not spread beyond the borders of its original shape. It may actually shrink down in size after several years. Hypertrophic scars are more common than keloids.They are not as difficult to treat.
7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Marshall CD, Hu MS, Leavitt T, Barnes LA, Lorenz HP, Longaker MT.Cutaneous scarring: basic science, current treatments, and future directions.Advances in Wound Care. 2018;7(2):29-45. doi: 10.1089/wound.2016.0696Zhou S, Xie M, Su J, Cai B, Li J, Zhang K.New insights into balancing wound healing and scarless skin repair.J Tissue Eng. 2023;14:20417314231185848. Published 2023 Jul 27. doi:10.1177/20417314231185848Ziolkowski, N., Kitto, S. C., Jeong, D., Zuccaro, J., Adams-Webber, T., Miroshnychenko, A., & Fish, J. S.Psychosocial and quality of life impact of scars in the surgical, traumatic and burn populations: a scoping review protocol.BMJ open, 2019;9(6), e021289. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-021289Tsai CH, Ogawa R.Keloid research: current status and future directions.Scars, Burns & Healing. 2019;5. doi: 10.1177.2059513119868659Mustoe TA.International scar classification in 2019.In: Téot L, Mustoe TA, Middelkoop E, Gauglitz GG, eds.Textbook on Scar Management. Springer International Publishing; 2020:79-84. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-44766-3_9American Academy of Family Physicians.Keloids.American Osteopathic College of Dermatology.Keloids and Hypertrophic Scars.
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Marshall CD, Hu MS, Leavitt T, Barnes LA, Lorenz HP, Longaker MT.Cutaneous scarring: basic science, current treatments, and future directions.Advances in Wound Care. 2018;7(2):29-45. doi: 10.1089/wound.2016.0696Zhou S, Xie M, Su J, Cai B, Li J, Zhang K.New insights into balancing wound healing and scarless skin repair.J Tissue Eng. 2023;14:20417314231185848. Published 2023 Jul 27. doi:10.1177/20417314231185848Ziolkowski, N., Kitto, S. C., Jeong, D., Zuccaro, J., Adams-Webber, T., Miroshnychenko, A., & Fish, J. S.Psychosocial and quality of life impact of scars in the surgical, traumatic and burn populations: a scoping review protocol.BMJ open, 2019;9(6), e021289. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-021289Tsai CH, Ogawa R.Keloid research: current status and future directions.Scars, Burns & Healing. 2019;5. doi: 10.1177.2059513119868659Mustoe TA.International scar classification in 2019.In: Téot L, Mustoe TA, Middelkoop E, Gauglitz GG, eds.Textbook on Scar Management. Springer International Publishing; 2020:79-84. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-44766-3_9American Academy of Family Physicians.Keloids.American Osteopathic College of Dermatology.Keloids and Hypertrophic Scars.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Marshall CD, Hu MS, Leavitt T, Barnes LA, Lorenz HP, Longaker MT.Cutaneous scarring: basic science, current treatments, and future directions.Advances in Wound Care. 2018;7(2):29-45. doi: 10.1089/wound.2016.0696Zhou S, Xie M, Su J, Cai B, Li J, Zhang K.New insights into balancing wound healing and scarless skin repair.J Tissue Eng. 2023;14:20417314231185848. Published 2023 Jul 27. doi:10.1177/20417314231185848Ziolkowski, N., Kitto, S. C., Jeong, D., Zuccaro, J., Adams-Webber, T., Miroshnychenko, A., & Fish, J. S.Psychosocial and quality of life impact of scars in the surgical, traumatic and burn populations: a scoping review protocol.BMJ open, 2019;9(6), e021289. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-021289Tsai CH, Ogawa R.Keloid research: current status and future directions.Scars, Burns & Healing. 2019;5. doi: 10.1177.2059513119868659Mustoe TA.International scar classification in 2019.In: Téot L, Mustoe TA, Middelkoop E, Gauglitz GG, eds.Textbook on Scar Management. Springer International Publishing; 2020:79-84. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-44766-3_9American Academy of Family Physicians.Keloids.American Osteopathic College of Dermatology.Keloids and Hypertrophic Scars.
Marshall CD, Hu MS, Leavitt T, Barnes LA, Lorenz HP, Longaker MT.Cutaneous scarring: basic science, current treatments, and future directions.Advances in Wound Care. 2018;7(2):29-45. doi: 10.1089/wound.2016.0696
Zhou S, Xie M, Su J, Cai B, Li J, Zhang K.New insights into balancing wound healing and scarless skin repair.J Tissue Eng. 2023;14:20417314231185848. Published 2023 Jul 27. doi:10.1177/20417314231185848
Ziolkowski, N., Kitto, S. C., Jeong, D., Zuccaro, J., Adams-Webber, T., Miroshnychenko, A., & Fish, J. S.Psychosocial and quality of life impact of scars in the surgical, traumatic and burn populations: a scoping review protocol.BMJ open, 2019;9(6), e021289. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-021289
Tsai CH, Ogawa R.Keloid research: current status and future directions.Scars, Burns & Healing. 2019;5. doi: 10.1177.2059513119868659
Mustoe TA.International scar classification in 2019.In: Téot L, Mustoe TA, Middelkoop E, Gauglitz GG, eds.Textbook on Scar Management. Springer International Publishing; 2020:79-84. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-44766-3_9
American Academy of Family Physicians.Keloids.
American Osteopathic College of Dermatology.Keloids and Hypertrophic Scars.
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