Scars

Scars form when the skin heals after injury, surgery, burns, or acne. Small scars usually fade and flatten. Keloid and hypertrophic scars — raised, firm, sometimes itchy or painful — are more common in Indian and darker-skinned people and can be distressing.

Types

• Flat/normal scars — fade over 12–24 months.
• Atrophic (depressed) scars — common after acne and chickenpox.
• Hypertrophic scars — raised, red, staying within the original wound edge.
• Keloid scars — raised, often larger than the original wound, can itch or hurt. Common on chest, shoulders, earlobes (especially after ear piercing), beard area.
• Contracture scars — tight, shiny, restricting movement; common after burns.

Prevention matters more than cure

• Don't pick or squeeze pimples, scabs, or chickenpox — scarring is largely preventable.
• Treat moderate or cystic acne early — before it scars.
• Keep wounds clean, moist, and covered; sun-protect healing scars for at least 6 months.
• If you keloid easily, avoid elective piercings, tattoos, and cosmetic procedures on chest, shoulders, and earlobes.
• For high-risk surgical scars, ask your surgeon about silicone sheets/gel starting 2 weeks after the wound closes — evidence-backed.

Treatment options

• Silicone gel/sheet — first-line for raised scars.
• Intralesional steroid injections — for keloid and hypertrophic scars, done by dermatologist or plastic surgeon.
• Laser, microneedling, chemical peels — for acne and atrophic scars.
• Surgical revision with adjuvant treatment for keloids — plain excision alone often causes recurrence; needs post-op injection/radiation protocol.
• Skin camouflage makeup for cosmetic concerns.
• Manage expectations — reducing a scar is realistic; erasing it is usually not.

Avoid

• Over-the-counter "scar oils" and turmeric/sandalwood pastes — little evidence, may irritate.
• Picking or re-injuring the scar.
• Repeated self-squeezing of acne — creates the scars in the first place.