Dark Scars on the Face

Facial scars are troublesome, physically and mentally, simply because they're so difficult to hide. Your face is a vital part of the first impression you provide during a job interview or first date. To treat your dark scars, you have over-the-counter options as well as more expensive, but potentially more comprehensive, surgical options.

Scar Formation

In "Wound Care," authors Carrie Sussman and Barbara Bates-Jensen describe the process of scar formation. As soon as your tissues are damaged, skin cells called fibroblasts begin reproducing rapidly to try and heal the wound. These fibroblast cells are responsible for producing collagen and elastin, the fibers that give skin its plumpness and elasticity. If your body produces new collagen faster than it can break down unneeded collagen, you'll see a thick, raised scar as a result.

Types of Scars

According to ClevelandClinic.org, there are four types of scars. The type of scar you have will determine, in part, your treatment options. Acne scars are perhaps the most common, visible as dark, discolored skin, sunken holes or angular scars. Hypertrophic scars are raised and red, limited to the boundary of the original wound. Keloid scars are also red and raised, but they often grow beyond the boundary of the original wound. Contracture scars occur as burned skin heals; they usually cause your skin to tighten and often decrease both mobility and nerve function.

Scar Coloration

Sussman and Bates-Jensen note that the dark color of your scar might have been caused by sunlight. As scars heal, they write, it is vitally important they be shielded from the sun. Although scientists aren't sure exactly why it happens, sun exposure often causes scars to develop permanent hyperpigmentation. Scars can also change color temporarily based on body position and ambient temperature. Extreme temperatures can make a scar brighter or darker, as can blood pressure shifts that happen when you move your head below the level of your heart.

At-Home Treatments

You can try to treat your dark scars with over-the-counter remedies such as silicone gel strips and scar reduction creams. Columbia University's Health Q&A Internet Service recommends three possible solutions. Onion extract may help reduce collagen production; it's an ingredient in some scar treatment gels. Silicone gel sheets may be able to flatten scars as well as reduce discoloration. Lastly, exfoliating with alpha hydroxy acids helps remove dead skin cells and may reduce the discoloration associated with acne scars.

Scar Revision

According to the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, some surgeons will require you to wait one year before treating a new scar with surgery. It can take this long for the scar to fully heal. Surgeons can often shrink keloid and hypertrophic scars with steroids before cutting them away. Other scars can be sanded down using techniques such as dermabrasion and laser resurfacing. In virtually all cases, a surgical procedure will still leave you with a small scar, but it will be less noticeable and less psychologically difficult to deal with.