Scars can appear even after piercing ears or tattooing, skin cancer can also look like a scar

Throughout our lives, we all have experiences that hurt our skin, leaving behind a scar.

"When you injure your skin, your body naturally repairs the damage. If the injury damaged the top layer of your skin, you will likely see new skin as the wound heals. To repair damage deeper than the first layer, your body builds tissue that is thicker than your skin and becomes a scar." – explains dermatologist specialist from Jewel Skin Clinic, Dr. Ban Kamuna.

New scars are pink to reddish in color. As the scar matures, it often becomes lighter or darker than your skin.

Who gets scars?
Almost everyone gets at least one scar, either from a burn, cut, scrape, or after surgery.

Some skin conditions can cause a scar. If you've had chicken pox or severe acne, after your skin clears up, you may have some scarring. Rare skin conditions such as epidermolysis bullosa and hidradenitis suppurativa can also cause scarring.

If a member of your family develops a type of scar called a keloid, you can easily develop one too. Some people develop a keloid after getting their ears pierced or tattooed.

What is the scar?
When we injure the deeper layers of our skin, the so-called dermis, cells produce collagen for wound repair. Because your body produces this collagen quickly, it is thicker and less flexible than the rest of your skin. This tissue is called a scar.

After all, as Dr. Ban Kamuna of Jewel Skin Clinic notes, your genes, age, skin color, and the medications you take can also affect how your skin heals.

Types of scars
When a scar forms on the skin, it will be one of the following types.
• Flat scar – Cicatrix. Although you will eventually see a flat scar, when this scar first appears, it is usually pink to reddish in color and slightly raised. It may also itch or hurt.
• Sunken scar - atrophic scar. Most sunken scars form on the face. You are more likely to develop sunken scars after chicken pox or severe acne. They become more noticeable with age.
• Raised scar - Hypertrophic scar. A raised scar most often forms on the chest, upper back, or shoulder area, but it can appear anywhere on your skin.
• Keloid. This scar is raised from the surface of the skin. It grows much larger than the wound that causes it. A keloid can appear months or even a year after the skin is injured. As the keloid grows, it may hurt or itch. A keloid can reduce mobility if it forms on a joint or becomes too large. Keloids do not go away without treatment.
• Contracture scar. Any scar that restricts movement is called a contracture scar. When a scar forms, the new tissue is tighter and thicker than your skin, making it difficult to move. Burns, except minor ones, often cause a contracture scar.
• Stretch marks. Stretch marks are scars that form from the tearing of our connective tissue. We usually get stretch marks when our skin stretches or contracts quickly, such as during pregnancy, weight lifting, when you have rapid muscle growth, rapid weight gain, and loss, or during adolescence.

How do dermatologists prevent and treat scars?
Proper wound care can reduce the risk of scarring or make it less noticeable. The wound must be clean. When cleaning a wound, use soap and water. Never use hydrogen peroxide, which can further damage your skin, warns Dr. Ban Kamuna of Jewel Skin Clinic. Suturing the wounds reduces the risk of scarring.

If you have a raised scar or keloid, your dermatologist may recommend one or more of the following treatments.

1. Pressure therapy. Apply pressure to the wound while it heals. Use silicone sheets or gel after the wound is closed. Apply gel daily for months.
2. Polyurethane dressing. It is a moist, flexible pad that prevents and reduces scarring after surgery.
3. Lasers. It is a treatment for all types of scars as it prevents and reduces raised scars and keloids, reducing their redness. Lasers increase mobility when the scar restricts it and reduce pain, itching, stiffness, and swelling.
4. Corticosteroid injections. Widely used to treat raised scars and keloids. Dermatologists inject a corticosteroid directly into the scar to reduce its size and relieve itching and pain.
5. Cryotherapy. This treatment freezes the scar and slowly breaks down its tissue, shrinking it. Reduces pain, itching, stiffness, and discoloration
6. Scar surgery. It includes the excision of the scar and the reduction of the size of the keloid. Enhances the increase in mobility if the scar limits it.
Although surgery can be effective, it is usually done as a last resort. A scar like a keloid can reappear after it is removed.

Why should a dermatologist diagnose what type of scar you have?
Different types of scars require different treatments. Your age and how long you've had the scar may also make a difference in which treatment will work best for you.

If you notice a scar on your skin and you don't remember injuring that area, make an appointment to see a dermatologist right away, because sometimes skin cancer can look like a scar. Sometimes skin cancer forms from an old scar. You can reduce this risk by applying sunscreen to the scar when clothing does not cover it. To provide the necessary protection, always use sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher, advises Dr. Ban Kamuna of Jewel Skin Clinic.