Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhy Smallpox Vaccine Can Cause a ScarSmallpox vs. BCG Vaccine ScarSmallpox Vaccine for MpoxHow to Heal Scars
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Why Smallpox Vaccine Can Cause a Scar
Smallpox vs. BCG Vaccine Scar
Smallpox Vaccine for Mpox
How to Heal Scars
In the United States, routinesmallpoxvaccination ended in 1972.Due to the success of the vaccine, smallpox was eradicated globally in 1980.Now, the smallpox vaccine is only given to certain groups, such as certain military service members and laboratory workers. Learn more about why the smallpox vaccine and needles used may leave a scar.
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The smallpox vaccine usually left behind a distinctive round scar on the upper arm during the healing process. Having a scar is typically a sign that the vaccine was successful or that it “took."
The smallpox vaccine was administered with the unique “multiple puncture” technique rather than as a shot. To deliver the vaccine, a healthcare provider would dip a two-pronged needle into the vaccine solution and prick the skin multiple times. This technique caused the skin to react as it healed.
The smallpox vaccine, ACAM2000, is alive vaccine. It contains a live version ofvaccinia, a virus similar to smallpox but not as dangerous.After being vaccinated against smallpox, most people developed an itchy, painful, and red skin lesion within three to four days.
A healthcare provider would sometimes check to see if the scar had formed in about six to eight days. This was a good sign that the vaccine had been successful. If no sore formed, revaccination was sometimes recommended.
A smallpox vaccine scar usually appears round- or oval-shaped. It’s typically about the size of a dime. It may look “deeper” or lower than the surrounding skin.Dryvax, a vaccine used before ACAM2000 but no longer available, often caused these smallpox vaccine scars.
Can the Smallpox Vaccine Cause Smallpox?You can’t get or spread smallpox from the smallpox vaccine. However, people who received the vaccine could spread the vaccinia virus to people who came into contact with their skin lesion before it healed. Keeping the vaccination site covered reduced the risk of spreading vaccinia.
Can the Smallpox Vaccine Cause Smallpox?
You can’t get or spread smallpox from the smallpox vaccine. However, people who received the vaccine could spread the vaccinia virus to people who came into contact with their skin lesion before it healed. Keeping the vaccination site covered reduced the risk of spreading vaccinia.
History of Vaccinations and Vaccines
Like the smallpox vaccine, theBacille Calmette-Guérin(BCG) vaccine, which offers protection againsttuberculosis(TB) disease, is not given routinely in the United States. It’s still often administered to infants and children in countries where TB disease is more common.
Both the smallpox vaccine and the tuberculosis vaccine cause a blister to fill with pus, crust over, and form a scab within a few weeks. People who received the BCG vaccine in the past often have a permanent scar in the area where they received the injection.
However, the BCG vaccine scar is typically raised in the middle and may have more rounded edges. The smallpox vaccine is usually depressed, or lower than the skin around it. The edges of the scar may be more irregular.
How Do Vaccines Work, Exactly?
In 2019, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of the JYNNEOS vaccine to protect against both smallpox andmpox, once referred to as monkeypox. The mpox virus is similar to smallpox, but the symptoms of mpox are typically less severe and not often fatal.
Some people are concerned that smallpox/mpox vaccine may lead to a permanent scar. However, unlike the smallpox vaccine, JYNNEOS doesn’t cause skin lesions or scarring. Common side effects of smallpox/mpox vaccine include:
The smallpox/mpox vaccine is delivered in a two-dose series. If you previously had the smallpox vaccine (ACAM2000), your healthcare provider may recommend that you get only one dose. Talk to your healthcare provider about getting vaccinated if you think you may be at risk for the mpox virus.
Smallpox itself has not re-emerged since the final case identified in Somalia in 1977. However, a 2024 report from the National Academy of Sciences stressed the importance of continued monitoring and preparedness, as well as keeping safe, effective smallpox vaccines on hand.
What Is Mpox?
Remedies to Heal Vaccine Scars
Talk to adermatologistif you’re interested in reducing the appearance of your vaccine scar. Possible treatments include:
Using sunscreen and moisturizer on your scar can help to protect that area of your skin, which may be more sensitive. Your dermatologist might also recommend ascar creamto help the scar heal and make it less noticeable. There are “skin camouflage” creams and powders that you can apply to cover the scar and help conceal it.
Summary
The smallpox vaccine was administered using a bifurcated needle and multiple puncture technique. This caused a skin lesion, typically turning into a pus-filled blister and scabbing within a few weeks. For most people, this turned into a permanent depressed scar. The smallpox/mpox vaccine, JYNNEOS, does not lead to scarring.
16 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.
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Kennedy RB, Poland GA, Ovsyannikova IG, Oberg AL, Asmann YW, Grill DE,et al.Impaired innate, humoral, and cellular immunity despite a take in smallpox vaccine recipients.Vaccine. 2016 Jun 14;34(28):3283-90. doi: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2016.05.005.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Administration - smallpox.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Smallpox vaccine basics.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Who should get vaccination - smallpox.
Food and Drug Administration.Smallpox.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Tuberculosis vaccine.
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HIV.gov.Drug database: smallpox and monkeypox vaccine.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Smallpox/monkeypox VIS.
National Academy of Sciences.Future State of Smallpox Medical Countermeasures.
National Health Service.Scars.
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