While you may dislike the appearance of a scar on your body, a scar is your skin's natural way of healing itself. A variety of products and options exist to help diminish scars, but it can be tricky to know which ones work. Surgical options can be expensive and your insurance provider may not cover such a procedure, and even some creams are expensive. The American Academy of Dermatology states that a scar cream doesn't need to be expensive to be effective.
Retinol and Vitamin C
Depending upon the type of scar you have, you may be able to use a product that contains vitamin C, retinol or glycolic acid. These products work best for mild depressed scars, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. All of these active ingredients stimulate your skin to produce more collagen, which helps plump up your skin and fills in depressed areas of skin. If your scar is raised, you can use a silicone bandage or even just tape the scar down to help flatten the appearance of the raised scar, according to the AAD.
Bleaching Creams
If your scar is purple or dark in appearance and doesn't match the rest of your skin tone, you may opt to use a skin lightening cream. Skin lightening creams bleach the dark pigmentation of the scar, reducing the dark, discolored appearance. You may need to continuously use a skin bleaching cream to maintain the desired appearance of the scar, as the dark pigmentation may return if you cease using the scar cream. Skin bleaching creams can bleach your hair and clothing and may require additional skin protection while you're in the sun, as the sun can interact with the bleaching agent.
Non-Bleaching Creams
If your skin is sensitive or allergic to bleaching agents, you may need to use a cream that doesn't contain bleaching agents. Certain creams, such as Mederma, help fade scars and stretch marks and even provide sun protection, unlike bleaching creams. Mederma doesn't need to be continuously used once the desired appearance has been reached. The cream only needs to be used for about eight weeks on new scars, or about two to six months for older, existing scars and stretch marks. The amount of time that you'll need to use the cream will depend upon the size and color of the scar. Large, dark scars will require more treatment time than smaller, lighter scars.
Considerations
Talk to your dermatologist before trying any over-the-counter scar treatment products. Your dermatologist may recommend or advise you to use one particular product over another. Your interpretation of the scar may not be a proper diagnosis, but your dermatologist can confirm whether the scar is depressed, raised or flat.
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