The short answer is yes. Scar creams and gels do indeed work on most burn scars. However, it will depend on the severity and type of burn you sustained. Burns can result when your skin touches something too hot, such as a stove top, or when you get scalded with boiling water. It can also burn with overexposure to the sun, certain chemicals or electricity.
When your skin heals, it forms scars, which are areas of thick, discolored skin. These develop after damaged skin causes skin cells to die. Then the body produces a protein known as collagen, whose job it is to repair the damaged skin. This is what leads to the formation of a scar.
The severity of the burn will determine whether the scar will fade with time or will remain permanently visible.
Types of Burns
Burns are classified according to how much of the skin they affect and how deep the burn goes. Here are the main types of burns:
- • First-degree burns: These damage the outer layer of the skin, resulting in redness and pain. These usually heal up within a week without scarring.
- • Second-degree burns: These affect both the epidermis and the layer under the skin, called the dermis. You’ll experience pain and redness, as well as blisters. These burns take up to a few weeks to heal and may scar slightly.
- • Third-degree burns: These are the most severe types of burns, damaging the top two layers of skin as well as the bones and tendons. Nerve endings can also be affected. Your skin may turn white or black initially. Scarring is very likely, starting off red, then turning white.
Scars caused by second- and third-degree burns are determined by how they appear on the skin and how they affect it:
- • Hypertrophic scars: These will look red or purple and are often raised. They may feel warm and be very itchy.
- • Contracture scars: These tighten the skin, muscles, and tendons, making normal skin movement hard.
- • Keloid scars: These form a shiny, hairless bump.
Minimizing Burn Scars
Fast treatment and proper, comprehensive wound care is the best way for preventing or minimizing the appearance of scars. Many scars will fade with time but keloid scars may not, and may require treatment to minimize their appearance. It’s best to help any burn scar along in the healing process by applying a silicone gel such as Scarfade.
Research shows this type of gel can reduce the appearance of scars, as well as lessen the size, stiffness, and redness of the scar. It’s also important to protect your scar from the UV rays of the sun. Always apply sunscreen and wear protective clothing, or your scar could turn darker and thus become more noticeable.
Pick up some Scarfade today!