When your skin is injured, a wound-healing response immediately starts in your body. Your skin is repaired with collagen (an important structural protein). Unfortunately, the healed skin does not always match the surrounding tissue, which causes the formation of a scar. While it is often possible to reduce or even eliminate scarring with laser skin resurfacing, you would probably like to prevent scars in the first place! Here are some tips that might allow you to do just that:

Keep the Wound Clean

Right after your injury, clean the wound with water and mild soap. Killing bacteria and getting rid of debris can prevent infections, which can help with efficient wound healing and reduce the risk of a noticeable scar forming.

Avoid Bacitracin

Bacitracin is a common antibiotic that is found in a lot of popular ointments, including Neosporin. Unfortunately, many people are allergic to it, and it can heighten the risk of scarring.

Keep the Wound Moist and Covered

A lot of people grew up being told that cuts and wounds should be kept dry, but that is not always the case. Instead, it would be better to apply a bit of petroleum jelly to the wound to keep the skin moist. This can prevent scabbing and thereby lower your risk of scar formation. You should also keep the wound covered with a bandage.

Minimize Movement

Every time you move injured tissues, the wound can worsen and widen, which leads to greater scarring potential. It is best to move the injured area as little as possible.

Do Not Pick at Your Scabs

Scabs are your body’s natural bandaging mechanism. Picking at them can delay wound healing and may increase the chances that a noticeable scar will form.

Use Moisturizers

Moisturizers and scar prevention creams may work if you start using them in the first few days after an injury. The act of massaging them into the skin can break up thick scar tissue and encourage proper wound healing.

See Your Doctor

In the past, it was believed that you should wait a year after an injury to talk to a doctor about help with scarring. Now, though, that guidance has changed. You can see a doctor as soon as one week after your injury (or as soon as any stitches are removed, if you needed them). They may be able to use laser therapy or microneedling to influence how the tissue heals and help to minimize discoloration and skin abnormalities.

It is not always possible to completely prevent scars, but it is often possible to make them very subtle in appearance! Follow the tips in this article to keep your skin as healthy and smooth as possible.

Meet the Practice

Under the leadership of Dr. Irvin M. Wiesman, a board-certified plastic surgeon, our team is proud to offer laser skin resurfacing and numerous other treatments to help patients love their skin and body. If you are interested in reducing the appearance of your scars or other aesthetic services, we would be happy to speak with you. Contact our Chicago office at 312-981-1290.