The Best Scar Removal
- Natural scar removal may help heal a scar without chemicals or surgery. Vitamin E is perhaps the best-known natural scar treatment. No medical studies have proved a correlation between vitamin E and scar removal, according to The Doctors Book of Home Remedies, but the carrier oil in vitamin E formulations may work to moisturize the scarred area, providing nourishment and allowing new, undamaged skin to grow. Shower with warm water or use a warm compress to open the pores, then break open a vitamin E capsule and massage the oil directly into the scar. Vitamin E is also available in a cream form, which you can apply the same way.
- Scar reduction products containing silicone or hydrogel are available both over the counter and by prescription. Look for them in the first aid aisle of many drug stores and superstores. In cream form, these medications feel like a thin coat of glue or a liquid bandage when applied. They are also available in sheet form. They work to heal scarred skin and to diminish the appearance of scar tissue by bringing new, undamaged skin to the surface. Many brands have product lines designed especially for children.
- Surgical treatments are costly, but they are effective and fast. Dermabrasion involves buffing the scarred area with a machine that polishes the skin surface, breaking away the dead skin cells that show the scar most prominently. Laser therapy uses a beam of light to smooth the skin's surface and to encourage the growth of new, healthy skin cells. Chemical peels can even out skin tone and soften scars and other irregular skin developments. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, a combination of these and other techniques may yield the best results, depending on the severity, type and location of your scar.
