Most of the time red or reddish-purple scars will fade in colour as the wound heals, which typically takes around 12 months. In some cases, however, scars can remain discoloured. This occurs most frequently with keloids and hypertrophic scars.
RED OR REDDISH-PURPLE SCARS
This is because the injured area sends signals to the body to direct more blood flow to the area to help the healing process. Part of this new blood blood flow is created by the spontaneous development of new blood vessels, something called angiogenesis.
It may take between 12 and 18 months before your scar settles into its final form, shape and appearance. Most scars start out red or purple in color, then fade with time.
Hypertrophic scars occur when there is a lot of tension around a healing wound. These scars are thick and raised, and often red in color. They may remain like this for several years. Hypertrophic scars are the result of an imbalance in collagen at the site of the wound.
The severity of the scar – Larger, deeper scars will often take longer to fade. Type of scar – Keloids and pitted scars often take longer to fade and may not fade at all.
Normal fine-line scars
A minor wound like a cut will usually heal to leave a raised line, which will gradually fade and flatten over time. This process can take up to 2 years. The scar will not disappear completely and you'll be left with a visible mark or line.
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.
Green: Cancels RED | This is what you want to use to cancel out redness from pimples, Rosacea, Eczema, Sunburns, etc. L'Oreal Studio Secrets Color Correcter can be applied under your everyday makeup. Yellow: Cancels PURPLE | You may have purple under eyes or bruised skin.
Scarring is a natural part of the healing process of the body. No two scars are the same and each person's scars heal differently. Your scar may be reddened at first and then settle down to become smoother and paler in colour. It can take up to 12-18 months after your injury or operation for a scar to heal.
A keloid scar is an overgrowth of tissue that occurs when too much collagen is produced at the site of the wound. The scar keeps growing, even after the wound has healed. Keloid scars are raised above the skin and are red or purple when newly formed, before gradually becoming paler.
A keloid scar usually appears a few weeks to years after you damage or injure your skin, such as after a cut, burn or acne. Keloid scars are usually raised, hard, smooth and shiny. They can be skin colour, pink, red, purple, brown, or darker than the skin around them.
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.
Finally, the remodelling stage begins and continues for a period from several weeks to a few years. Scar remodelling is what changes a thick, red, raised scar to a thin, flat, white scar and over the course of time, your scars will usually fade and become barely noticeable.
After injury or irritation, skin inflammation triggers an explosion of pigment production. All this color lingers in the area long after wounds heal, creating darker sections of skin and drawing unwanted attention to your scars.
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.
Scars go through numerous changes as they mature, but they are permanent in nature5. Bio-Oil Skincare Oil is formulated to help improve the appearance of scars, but it can never remove them. Bio-Oil Skincare Oil should be applied to the affected areas, twice daily, for a minimum of 3 months.
It is never too late to receive a scar tissue release massage. You may just need a couple of sessions to feel confident and comfortable to do this on yourself at home.
Scar Process
It will take six to 18 months for the scar to have its final appearance. Your scar should gradually soften and fade over these six to 18 months, but will look pink initially (photo B). Some scars never fade. If your scar stays pink after 12 to 18 months please call to discuss options.
White scars, or “hypopigmented” scars, are due to a loss of melanocytes that manufacture pigment. This loss is usually permanent, but can sometimes be improved by fractional laser resurfacing, which allows some of the pigment cells to migrate back into the lighter-colored skin areas.
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.
After a scar is first formed, the body continues to touch up its work where it can - which is why scars fade slightly over the years when left alone. But scar tissue does not get replaced by this process2, which means that most scars, when left to heal naturally, will never fully disappear.
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.