Immediately following wound healing, a scar is usually red in appearance and is referred to as an 'immature' scar. Between 3 months and 2 years the scar should become paler, flatter and softer and can then be referred to as a 'mature' scar.
“Usually the scars will heal rather quickly - within the course of a few weeks to one or two months - but you may not see final results for up to a year. Individual factors also influence how quickly your body is able to recover from a wound.” In older patients, or where the skin is more lax, scars settle more rapidly.
This may include swelling and redness as the body replaces damaged cells and fights off infection. Proliferation – this is the process of creating new skin, blood vessels, and other tissues as the wound closes over. Remodeling – this is the final stage of wound healing, at which point, scarring may occur.
Scars may be darker at first and fade to a lighter color over time as part of the scar maturation process. Mature scars can also flatten out as they go through this aging process, but it's important to note that scars will never go away completely.
When do scars look their worst? For the first couple of weeks after surgery, a scar can appear red, angry and lumpy. Between approximately four and eight weeks, it can look wider and redder and, at times, worse than it looked initially.
Although the initial skin scar may be minimal, the scar will often enlarge and become more reddened over the following 4-6 weeks. An active scar is typically red, raised, firm and thick. Sometimes this change can be confused with infection.
Bio-Oil helps to improve the appearance of new or old scars; whether from surgery, accidents, burns, insect bites, scratches or conditions such as acne or chickenpox. Although younger scars will have a greater chance of improvement, studies have shown that older scars also benefit from regular use of Bio-Oil.
If the incision has been closed with absorbable sutures and Steri-Strips, scar treatment can begin about two weeks later after the Steri-Strips have been removed if the incision is completely healed.
Scar tissue is usually red at first, then pink for 3-6 months and then fades to a slightly lighter than normal skin color. Exposure to heavy sunlight may cause a scar to heal darker. Sun avoidance and use of sunscreen over scar sites is advisable for six months after surgery.
The scar will tend to remain red for 1-6 months afterwards. After that as the collagen, fibers and scar organizes and matures, the scar tends to contract down and flatten out. The color becomes less red and begins to take on the color and appearance of the surrounding tissue. It will then gently fade with time.
What are the signs of a scar? When a scar first develops on lighter skin, it's usually pink or red. Over time, the pinkish color fades, and the scar becomes slightly darker or lighter than the color of the skin. In people with dark skin, scars often appear as dark spots.
Most of the time red or reddish-purple scars will fade in color as the wound heals, which typically takes around 12 months. In some cases, however, scars can remain discolored. This occurs most frequently with keloids and hypertrophic scars.
While some scar tissue will never go away, oftentimes, if treated properly, the injured tissue can be remolded to resemble normal, healthy tissue. This can restore normal tissue behavior and provide pain relief in any area of the body, even pelvic muscles following the birth of a baby.
Keep it Clean
Your skin needs a lot of moisture and warmth to heal well. Putting a heating pad or water bottle on the wound can also help increase blood flow to the wound, and therefore speed up recovery.
To help your scar mature it is recommended that you massage and moisturise your scar. Please refer to the handout titled 'Scar management – Massage and moisturising'. All scars should be monitored carefully and if your scar becomes a problem contact your doctor or occupational therapist.
Use a non-perfumed moisturising cream such as E45 cream or aqueous cream to moisturise the skin surrounding your scar twice a day. Avoid picking or scratching your scar. Keep clothes loose around your scar to avoid tension or friction which may irritate it.
Wet or moist treatment of wounds has been shown to promote re-epithelialization and result in reduced scar formation, as compared to treatment in a dry environment. The inflammatory reaction is reduced in the wet environment, thereby limiting injury progression.
Massaging your scar(s) twice a day can help to stimulate the repair process and help you connect with the scar emotionally. Wait until your wound has fully healed and allow 4 weeks after any stitches have been removed before you start to apply Bio-Oil.
Bio-Oil Skincare Oil is non-irritating and suitable for sensitive skin. Bio-Oil Skincare Oil should be massaged in a circular motion into scars (avoiding broken skin), twice daily, for a minimum of 3 months. Results will vary from individual to individual.
Long periods underwater or exposure to running water can make the scabs or softened new skin fall off. This prolongs the healing process. Immersion in cold water for more than a minute or two slows down blood flow, which in turn slows down scar healing.
Scar massage is a way of softening and flattening scars. It can stop scar tissue build up and help make scars less noticeable. Your scar or scars will continue to grow and change for about twelve to eighteen months, so the earlier and more regularly you massage your scar, the less the chance of long-term problems.
To help the injured skin heal, use petroleum jelly to keep the wound moist. Petroleum jelly prevents the wound from drying out and forming a scab; wounds with scabs take longer to heal. This will also help prevent a scar from getting too large, deep or itchy.