The size and thickness of a scar is partly genetically determined. It depends on your skin type and your skin color. What can you do yourself to ensure that a wound heals as beautifully as possible?
Try to cover the wound as little as possible. The first days, when the skin is still broken, it is better not to apply cream. If you have been to the doctor or general practitioner with your wound, always follow his or her advice.
Read also: 'When does a scar form?'
If the redness gets worse or if a large wound starts to throb or swell, see a doctor.
Water makes your wound soft and can damage the scab. This prevents the formation of new skin under the scab.
When you pick at the scab, you hinder the recovery of your skin. It could even cause scarring that wouldn't have happened if you hadn't scratched it.
Once the wound starts to heal, you can start to apply a light cream. That also helps with the itching you sometimes have when a wound heals. There are various creams especially for scars, ask your doctor or pharmacy for advice. Various creams are available (free).
Try to expose your wound to the sun as little as possible, because that worsens the formation of a scar. It is also better to keep recent scars out of the sun.
Even if you don't treat your scar with a cream, the scar will continue to change for the first two years, for the better. So you only know after two years whether your skin has healed nicely. Old scars can be influenced much less than young scars. If you have an old scar that you don't like, ask your doctor for advice.
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