Unfortunately, every day we run the risk of causing injuries that in one way or another will turn into scars and we do not always know how to act correctly and fast enough to remedy the damage caused as much as possible.
Read on to find out which is the best scar treatment thanks to chlorhexidine and silicones.
What are scars?
But let's take a step back: what are scars specifically? Scars are the result of the natural healing of a wound. It is fibrous tissue that repairs wounds and loss of substance from tissues and organs. Scar tissue forms whenever there is an interruption in the continuity of the skin following a pathological or traumatic event.
This replacement occurs because our skin has undergone a trauma (of any kind, such as a burn, surgery or inflammation) and our body immediately sets itself in a way to try to remedy the damage. Tendentially the healing process will lead the scar to initially be reddish (in this case they are called immature scars) and then, over time, lighten and become a colour tending to white (they turn into mature scars).
There are different types of scars, categorised according to different elements to consider, such as how they evolve and heal:
- Normal scars follow a normal healing process and have a flat shape, parallel to the skin.
- Hypertrophic scars are characterised by a reddish colour and by being in relief concerning the skin, so much so that you can feel them to the touch. They occur mostly in places such as the arms, legs and abdomen.
- Keloid scars are those that most require a medical consultation because they may have signs of swelling and be very prominent concerning the skin. After all, they have fibrous tissue that continues to expand over time. This type of scar is characterized by a strong itchy sensation and sometimes even pain.
How the repair process takes place and how a scar is formed
To be able to heal a lesion well, it is important to know what all the healing phases are to find out together how to behave towards our skin to take care of it completely and adequately. There are four main stages:
- The first phase concerns the process of hemostasis and is that particular phase in which the leakage of blood caused by the injury has certainly stopped. From this moment on, our platelets will be set in motion to try to reconstruct what was injured.
- The second phase is the inflammatory one, in which our body tries to independently remove the inflammations immediately after suffering the trauma and can last for a few days. During this time, the wound site is very likely to be swollen and red.
- The third phase, called the proliferative phase, is characterised by the process of forming a very particular type called granulation tissue, which is a much more resistant type of tissue which will gradually close the wound.
- Last but not least is the fourth phase, characterised by the actual maturation process of the scar, which makes it solid and thick. The duration of this phase depends a lot on the extent of the damage that must be repaired.
Scar treatment: what factors affect the healing process?
It is good to remember that the formation of a scar depends both on the subject and on many other factors: it is therefore not necessary to rely only on the size and depth of the wound. Some factors that affect the healing process are:
- age: the older the person is, the slower the wound healing process will be;
- the type of skin: people with very light or very dark skin will develop scars much more evident than others;
- the particular hormonal balance: e.g. teenagers or pregnant women;
- and, the location of the wound.
Silicones, Hyaluronic Acid and Chlorhexidine for the treatment of scars
Obviously, you cannot prevent the appearance of scars, but following some simple precautions allow us to minimize their extension and their appearance. The first rule to follow is to take care to disinfect every day to limit an infection as much as possible, as it could further hinder the healing process. It is also essential not to expose the scar to the sun and to use moisturisers during the regeneration processes of the skin.
Fundamental to the treatment of scars are the Silicones that help the skin to produce large quantities of collagen, acting directly on the hydration of the skin, to ensure that the scar is flat, soft and elastic. The use of silicones is also indicated to reduce keloids and the signs of older scars.
Functional the presence of Hyaluronic Acid with a powerful hydro-restoring action promotes skin elasticity, strongly stimulating the biosynthesis of new collagen and speeds up epithelial reconstruction.
The bactericidal action is guaranteed by the presence of Chlorhexidine which disinfects the skin, reducing the chances of infection. Also useful are Resveratrol and Melatonin with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity that stimulate the prompt healing of the tissues and the renewal of the skin, which thus quickly regains a healthy and homogeneous appearance. For the treatment of scars, including burns, abrasions and surgical interventions, the use of silicone-based creams rich in natural ingredients, thanks to their regenerating properties, allows the skin to regain its healthy appearance and elasticity.
