If you get injured, small or large, there is a risk that it will leave scars. It is natural in the wound healing process; Collagen in the lower layers of exposed skin then rises to the surface to close the wound, but during the process a scar appears. There is no magic cure for this, but there are ways you can try to influence the natural development of scar tissue.
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Part 1 of 3: Caring for Wounds
Step 1. Clean the wound
The first step for a wound to heal naturally is to clean the wound area. Make sure there are no dirt particles stuck in the wound that could pose a risk of infection.
- Use soap and water. Gently clean the wound area with mild soap and warm water. Use a dry, clean material to apply pressure to the wound and stop the bleeding.
- Do not use hydrogen peroxide to clean the wound area. The body will immediately make new skin cells, while hydrogen peroxide will destroy the new cells and pose a risk of scarring from the start of treatment.
Step 2. See if medical help is needed
Some examples of the characteristics of wounds that require medical assistance: stabbing deep enough; constantly bleeding profusely; accompanied by fractures; open so that deep tendons, ligaments, or bones are visible; in the face; caused by animal bites; there is a torn layer of skin and the edges of the tear are uneven; or cause pre-existing wounds to reopen.
- Depending on the severity of the wound, stitches may be required. Actually stitches can reduce the risk of scar formation. If it turns out that you don't need medical assistance and/or stitches, continue with treating the wound at home.
- If the wound is on the face and requires stitches, it should be done by a plastic surgeon so that the expert can use special techniques so that there is very little risk of scarring.
Step 3. Use petroleum gel
Petroleum gel can keep the wound area moist, aid healing, and prevent scabs from forming. Petroleum gel does not hinder the natural healing process, it can even speed it up.
- If a scar does develop, applying petroleum gel during the healing process can minimize the size of the scar.
- A scab is the body's natural way of covering and protecting a recently injured area, but under the layer of the scab a scar can form.
- As the body heals wounds, collagen rises to the skin's surface to restore exposed tissue.
- Then a temporary hard layer, the scab, forms on top of the collagen. As collagen works to restore injured tissue, it also causes scars under the scab.
Step 4. Put on a hydrogel bandage or a silicone-based bandage
There are studies that indicate that hydrogel or silicone-based bandages can reduce the risk of scarring. Two types of bandages can keep the wound area moist during natural healing, so there is less risk of scarring.
- The advantage of hydrogel and silicone bandages is that they can help the natural exchange of fluids between injured and intact tissues. These two types of bandages can apply pressure but keep the tissue moist, thus helping to minimize the risk of scarring.
- Follow the instructions on the packaging if you want to use these products. These products are sold freely. Each manufacturer must include specific instructions for their products.
- There are also products that are similar, but cheaper. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for recommendations for over-the-counter cosmetic therapy bandages for scars.
- Continue to use a bandage that retains moisture while applying pressure for a few weeks or longer to reduce the risk of scarring.
- There's no need to use petroleum gel if you already have a hydrogel or silicone bandage (or a similar but cheaper alternative), as long as the bandage is reliable enough to keep the area moist.
- Check the wound daily to see if the treatment is reliable for your circumstances. If the wound area is not moist enough and a scab begins to form, it's a good idea to change the type of bandage.
Step 5. Close the wound
Use an adequate bandage according to the size of the wound so that the wound is fully protected and covered. If the wound is exposed to air, the healing process will continue, but this does not prevent scarring. If the wound remains open and unprotected, there is a greater risk of scarring.
- Wounds exposed to air tend to dry out and become covered with scabs. The scab serves as a cover, but it can also leave scars.
- If your skin is sensitive to adhesive, put on a non-adhesive bandage and use paper or medical tape to attach the edges of the bandage.
- Apply butterfly bandage if necessary. This special plaster can close the cut wound. Make sure the butterfly tape is wide enough so that the petroleum gel can be applied to the wound without hitting the tape so that it can stick to the skin.
- If you're using a butterfly patch, you'll still need to cover the wound area with gauze or a bandage large enough to fully cover the wound area to reduce the risk of infection or accidents that can cause the wound to enlarge.
Step 6. Change the bandage daily
Clean the wound area daily, check for signs of infection, keep the wound moist with petroleum jelly, and close the wound again.
- If the butterfly tape is tight enough and there are no signs of infection, it can be left alone.
- Continue to check the wound daily for healing or signs of infection as well as cleaning the wound, changing bandages, and reapplying petroleum gel.
- Once the new layer of skin is healthy (perhaps in 7-10 days), the frequency of changing the bandage can be reduced to once every few days, as long as the wound area is kept moist. If the wound has completely healed, treatment may be discontinued.
Step 7. Watch for infection
Change the bandage daily and clean the wound area with mild soap, water, and a clean material. Check for signs of infection. Wounds that are well cared for are still at risk of infection.
- If there are signs of infection, see a doctor immediately. The doctor may prescribe topical or oral antibiotics that must be consumed within a certain period.
- Signs of infection are: redness or swelling in the wound area, the wound area feels warm to the touch, red patches that spread to the skin around the wound area, pus or fluid coming out of the wound, the wound feels throbbing or very sensitive, and body chills or fever.
Part 2 of 3: Preventing Scars
Step 1. Massage the wound area
Once the healing process begins, the massage can prevent the buildup of collagen which can later become a scar, but be careful not to reopen the wound.
- Massaging can break the collagen bonds so that the substance does not become a thick tissue that sticks to the newly growing layer of skin. This can prevent scars from forming or at least reduce them.
- Massage the injured area several times a day in circular motions for 15-30 seconds.
- Use a special lotion or cream to prevent scarring when massaging. There are several types of this cream that can be purchased without a prescription.
- Some types of scar prevention creams contain onion peel extract which is said to be quite nutritious. There are also similar creams that can help keep the skin moist to prevent scarring.
Step 2. Apply pressure
Gentle, consistent pressure on the injured area can help minimize scarring. Focus the pressure on the areas that seem most prone to scarring.
- There are special types of bandages that can help provide this pressure. Apart from the hydrogel and silicone bandages, there are other types that can continuously apply pressure to the wound as well as a protective layer.
- Ask your doctor about ways to apply a bandage that can apply sustained pressure but is safe for the wound. This can also be done by using a regular bandage that is coated with a thicker layer on the area that is prone to scarring.
- For larger scar-prone areas, there are also devices that can be worn while applying pressure during the day and can be used for 4-6 months. Remember that such a device is quite expensive, so before buying it is best to consult a doctor or an expert.
- An animal study showed that applying pressure to a scar has a beneficial effect, reducing the thickness of the scar's layer, and increasing blood flow to the area.
Step 3. Put on an elastic bandage
Once the wound has healed and is not at risk of opening again, wear an elastic bandage in such a way that the skin lifts, blood circulation improves, and the risk of scarring is reduced.
- A fairly well-known brand of this type of plaster, which is also the term for its use procedure, is Kinesio Taping.
- Wait 2-4 weeks to be sure the wound has healed.
- How to apply this plaster depends on the location, depth, and length of the wound. Consult with your doctor, physical therapist, or exercise trainer to understand how best to use it for your wound.
- One way of using it to prevent scarring is to apply a piece of this plaster along the wound. Pull the tape until it stretches about 25-50%. Apply the plaster to the wound area in a massage-like motion.
- As time passes, increase the tension of the plaster, but just enough to keep the skin firm so that it doesn't hurt.
- Kinesio plasters can prevent scarring by using a method of application that lifts the skin, helps it flow, and breaks down the formation of collagen layers. Talk to your doctor, physical therapist, or exercise trainer to understand how best to use it for your wound.
Step 4. Reduce movement
Movement and pulling can make the wound enlarge, so reduce movement that can make the skin around the wound area pull tight.
- If the wound is in the joint area (eg elbow or knee), if necessary to move the part, do it slowly. It feels like I want to be able to move freely, but don't let the wound open again.
- Continue your daily routine or regular exercise as long as it's not bad for the wound. Exercise can improve blood flow throughout the body, which is important for wound healing.
Part 3 of 3: Helping the Recovery Process
Step 1. Protect the wound from being exposed to the sun
When the wound has healed and does not need to be covered with a bandage, use sunscreen to protect the new layer of skin from being exposed to the sun.
- Ultraviolet rays from the sun can slow down the recovery process. Make sure the wound has healed properly before you stop wearing the bandage, as bandages can protect the wound from the sun.
- Sunlight can also stimulate pigment in the skin. This can make the skin growth change color to red or brown so that if it does occur the scar will look more striking.
- Use a product with a broad spectrum of protection and with an SPF level of at least 30.
Step 2. Eat foods that can speed up recovery
Maintaining a healthy diet can provide essential nutrients for the recovery of injured tissue. Key ingredients that can help with recovery include: vitamin C, protein, and zinc.
- Eat more foods that contain vitamin C. It has been proven that increasing the consumption of vitamin C can prevent scars from forming. There are a lot of vitamin C supplement products, but even from daily food may be enough.
- Consult your doctor about the dosage. Usually people just increase the portion of foods rich in vitamin C to help recovery. But there are also cases where increasing the dose of vitamin C should only be done after consulting a doctor.
- Vitamin C will be used up quickly in the body, so try to try to have this substance in each main meal or snack.
- Examples of vegetables rich in vitamin C are bell peppers, broccoli, potatoes, tomatoes, and cabbage. Examples of fruits rich in vitamin C are oranges, strawberries, cantaloupe, and mandarins.
- There are studies that show that increasing vitamin C in the diet (or in the form of supplements) accompanied by topical creams that also contain the vitamin can prevent scars from forming. There are several types of vitamin C products according to their levels, which are between 5-10%.
- Increase zinc in your diet by eating beef, liver, and seafood such as crab. Zinc is also contained in sunflower seeds, almonds, peanut butter, eggs and milk or dairy products.
- Protein is the key to getting the nutrients that are essential for wound healing in the skin. Good sources of protein are: milk and processed products (such as cheese), eggs, fish (eg tuna), shellfish, chicken, turkey, and red meat.
Step 3. Eat dates/turmeric
Turmeric is a family with ginger and is often used in Indonesian and Indian food.
- An animal study found that consuming turmeric for swelling control can speed up wound healing, while the speedy recovery process helps prevent scars from forming.
- However, the evidence for turmeric's efficacy is limited to this one study.
Step 4. Apply honey on the wound
Research on the use of honey for wound healing is still controversial, but there is ample evidence that honey specifically for healing can accelerate the healing of some types of wounds. By accelerating wound healing, the risk of scarring can be minimized.
- The most recommended medicinal honey for treating wounds is Manuka honey. This honey received FDA approval in 2007 as an alternative medicine for treating wounds.
- Manuka honey is a bit hard to come by because it can only be produced in a few areas where Manuka trees grow naturally.
- The high demand for Manuka honey has led to the emergence of many counterfeit products, so be careful when buying this honey.
- Prepare a sterile bandage smeared with a little Manuka honey. Put a bandage on the wound and cover the edges with medical tape to keep it from leaking.
- Clean the wound and change the bandage several times each day. Watch for signs of infection.
Step 5. Use aloe vera
Scientific evidence is somewhat limited, but manufacturers insist that aloe vera aids wound healing and traditional Chinese medicine and other cultures also recommend its use, either topically or orally.
- The latest published literature does not provide sufficient evidence for the efficacy of aloe vera in wound healing. However, the study authors also recommend further controlled trials to investigate the medicinal properties of aloe vera.
- Ointment products containing aloe vera are usually combined with vitamins A, B, C, and E, enzymes, amino acids, sugars, and minerals.
- It is not recommended to drink aloe vera solution as there is insufficient evidence of its efficacy whereas ingesting aloe vera can be toxic.
Step 6. Avoid vitamin E
Although we have long heard of the benefits of vitamin E, especially to prevent scars, recent research has shown that vitamin E does NOT prevent scars.
- There is research that states that the application of vitamin E products actually interferes with the natural healing process.
- There is also a study that found that topical products containing vitamin E can trigger new allergic reactions in 30% of users.
Step 7. Avoid antibiotic creams or ointments
Unless there are signs of infection or as directed by your doctor, there is no need to use over-the-counter antibiotic creams or ointments.
- More and more people are becoming resistant to antibiotics due to repeated and prolonged use of these substances when they are not really needed.
- This includes the use of over-the-counter antibiotic ointments.
