How long scars

Continue Find out more. Scars are areas of fibrous tissue that replace normal skin or other tissue after injury or surgery. Scarring is a natural part of the healing process of the body.

Your scar may be reddened at first and then settle down to become smoother and paler in colour. It can take up to months after your injury or operation for a scar to heal. A normal scar will become darker initially and after a period of time this will start to fade. Dark scars can remain for years or indefinitely in people with darker skin. Eat a balanced diet, especially food rich in vitamins, minerals and protein, such as milk, yoghurt and green leafy vegetables.

Also, try to drink at least eight glasses of water a day, unless otherwise advised. Smoking delays the healing process. Your scar is very susceptible to strong sunlight and can burn easily, so please try to avoid exposing your scar to the sun. Afterwards, a normal SPF 30 or higher should be used before going out in strong sunlight.

Apply it one hour before going outside and reapply it frequently and generously. Wearing long-sleeved shirts and shorts will also give you some protection. If you have facial scars, wear a hat to shade your face. Your doctors will advise you when it will be safe to resume exercise before you leave hospital. This also includes what type of exercises you need to take.

Massaging may relieve itchiness and help to flatten the scar. We advise the use of a non-perfumed moisturising cream as this will help reduce friction on your skin when you massage the area. You can use cosmetic make-up or skin camouflage cream to disguise your scar, provided it is completely healed. In hospital, you can ask to speak to the scar management clinical nurse specialist for advice. Scarring is an inevitable result of the natural healing process that occurs when the skin repairs itself after wounding.

Over the next four months the scar will soften and lose the redness. This is the normal process of scarring. Sometimes scars take longer to mature and others may become thickened and get worse. Once there is a scar, it is forever. Generally, it will blend into the normal skin creases so that it is hardly noticeable. Most scars reach this point six months after surgery.

It can take up to two years for some severe scars to fully develop. No one knows for sure if vitamin E helps scars, but it doesn't hurt. If you want to use a vitamin E product, use a lotion form and apply it no more than twice a day.

Do not use the liquid from vitamin E capsules for scar treatment. After the incision has healed, any skin moisturizer applied with gentle firm massage to the scar area will help the scar mature. Two weeks after surgery you may massage the scar for five minutes four times a day. The most important thing is to give the scar time to heal.

The situation can be made worse if you feel you're being stared at. If you avoid meeting people because of your appearance, it's easy to become socially isolated. This can lead to depression. See a GP if you feel your scars are making you depressed, or if they're affecting your daily activities. Read more about living with facial disfigurement and improving self-esteem.

A number of support groups and organisations provide help and advice for people living with scarring. When the skin is wounded, the tissues break, which causes a protein called collagen to be released. Collagen builds up where the tissue is damaged, helping to heal and strengthen the wound.

New collagen continues forming for several months and the blood supply increases, causing the scar to become raised and lumpy. In time, some collagen breaks down at the site of the wound and the blood supply reduces. The scar gradually becomes smoother and softer. Although scars are permanent, they can fade over a period of up to 2 years.

It's unlikely they'll fade any more after this time. Stretch marks are narrow streaks or lines that appear on the skin's surface when the deeper layer of skin dermis tears. They're often caused by hormonal changes during pregnancy or puberty , or as a result of bodybuilding or hormone replacement therapy. Page last reviewed: 23 October Next review due: 23 October