We have all been there. We may have been preparing dinner and accidentally burned our wrists or had a misstep that garnered a deep cut. As careful as we may feel that we are, the truth is accidents will occur and the gift they bring are nasty cuts and scrapes that can ultimately turn into scars. There are a few things you can do to minimize the scarring.
Access your wound
You need to determine the depth and width of the wound. Is it just a scrape or is the wound deep or wide and may require stitches. Not getting stitches when the wound requires stitches will cause the wound to heal and close unevenly thus creating a deeper and more visible scar.
Clean your wound often
If a wound is not properly cared for, infection can develop. Infections can lead to necrotic tissue that may need debridement. Necrotic tissue is dying or dead tissue. The more medical procedures or additional trauma that is done to a wound the greater the chances of developing additional scar tissue that will cause a visible scar. Cleaning your would also lessens the chances of an infection escalating to the point of sepsis.
Don’t pick at your scabs
As your wound heals, it may itch or the scab that forms to cover the wound may entice you to want to pick at it. Don’t. Scratching or trying to remove the scab can cause more trauma to the skin and create more scar tissue. When you pick at the wound you may rip tissue at deeper levels due to the wound’s healing progress. What may seem as topical and only on the edge may also have a portion that extends beyond the surface level.
Apply bio-oil and coco butter
What you do after the wound has healed is just as important as what you do during the healing process. Applying coco butter and bio-oil has been known to minimize the appearance of scars. Constantly moisturize the area so the skin doesn’t dry and crack.
Try a Turmeric mask with Aloe Vera
When trauma has occurred to our skin, the melanin may cause the skin to be more pigmented in that area. Turmeric is known to carry natural lightening properties. Aloe Vera has moisture rich properties which can soothe and offer moisture to the scar.