From kitchen accidents to skinned knees to surgical incisions, we all have scars and back stories – but most of us want our wounds to heal without the misfortune of our past.
Not all scars are the same. How the wound is treated as it heals can have an impact on the type of scar and how it looks in the end. The amount of scarring may also depend on how bad the wound was. “The deeper the injury, the greater the likelihood of scar formation,” says Dermatologist Jeremy Brauer, M.D., of Spectrum Skin and Laser in Purchase, N.Y., is a board-certified dermatologist.
If you want, take care of your wounds to reduce or even stop the formation of scars. Here are seven dos and don’ts to follow in order to avoid scarring from stitches.
What is a Scar?
Our lower layer of skin, the dermis, which is rich in collagen and contains the elastic fibers that keep our skin springy and serve other physiological purposes, is torn, which results in scarring. Any injury to the dermis can leave scars.
Elderly people are more prone to scarring than young people because our bodies lose collagen as we age. And depending on what part of your body you’ve hurt and how much blood is flowing to it, a wound’s propensity to leave a scar may vary.
What Causes Scarring?
Stitches from procedures leave scars in every case. They emerge naturally as the skin recovers from an injury and grows. The new skin has a different composition from the surrounding undamaged skin and will usually look different. The scar will be red or pink immediately following a stitch and for about a year after that. This is typical and usually disappears. After that, the scar usually returns to the approximate color of the surrounding skin, but its surface consistency and pigmentation pattern remain different so the scar can still be seen.
Large Scars
Scars that are too large or have outgrown their original boundaries may protrude sideways past the original incision or be raised above the level of the skin around them. Scarring of this kind is referred to as hypertrophic or keloid scarring.
Hypertrophic scars are more likely when:
- The original excision procedure is large
- The spot was removed from an area of the body that stretches, such as the chest, back or shoulders
- The skin needs to be stretched slightly to close the wound
- The patient is a growing child or teenager
- A skin graft is used
- The wound becomes infected or breaks down
Suture Marks
Crossing lines from the placement of stitches can be seen on some scars. These are more likely if the stitch material was thick (sometimes necessary for stitches on the back) or if the skin was stretched tightly to close the wound. When one stitch is buried beneath the skin’s surface, the doctor in these situations may elect to use two layers instead. This strengthens the wound and lowers the chance of scarring.
How to Prevent Scarring from Stitches?
Clean the Wound
According to the National Library of Medicine, broken skin from a wound increases the chance of bacterial infection. It will heal in stages, and dermatologists recommend keeping the wound clean throughout the entire process.
“Immediately after a wound occurs, it should be kept clean,” Your first inclination might be to reach for a bottle of hydrogen peroxide or another antiseptic, but according to Dr. Salyards, doing so could exacerbate scarring. “Hydrogen peroxide can increase inflammation and destruction to the healing skin, increasing scarring,” she explains. According to a review published in 2019 in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open, the skin tissue can be killed by antiseptics like hydrogen peroxide and rubbing alcohol, so they shouldn’t be used to clean wounds.
Dr. Brauer advises cleaning the wound every day until it is fully healed. Don’t overthink it; the AAD advises washing wounds with mild soap and water to keep them clean. Using soap and water is the best option, according to the Cleveland Clinic, which also recommends washing and drying your hands first.
Immediate Processing
Although medical intervention isn’t always required for wounds to heal, you might benefit from getting stitches depending on how bad your wound is. Receiving stitches can help close and speed up the healing of the wound. Scars develop after the wound has healed. The AAD states that they might also aid in lessening the visibility of scarring.
Dermatologists advise against waiting until deep cuts heal completely on their own before getting stitches. “If stitches are needed, they must be sewn as soon as possible when the injury is new,” says Aanand N. Geria, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Geria Dermatology in Rutherford, New Jersey. “If too much time passes, germs or bacteria can accumulate in the wound and a dermatologist may elect not to stitch because of the risk of infection.”
If you are unsure whether you need stitches, Dr. For further assessment, Geria advises visiting a doctor right away.
Avoid Stretching
The maximum strength of your skin will not be reached for up to a year, which is still less than the strength of intact skin. Following the removal of the stitches, the wound is relatively frail for the first few weeks and is susceptible to rupturing if the skin is stretched.
After your stitches are removed, limit stretching motions in the area for about a month. Lifting large objects or moving quickly both require extra caution. If you regularly practice yoga, Pilates, or the gym, ask your trainer or instructor about exercises that will relieve tension in the troubled area. Wearing tape over the wound can serve as a warning to be careful and help you be aware of stretching in the area.
Keep the Wound Moist
Keep the wound moist after cleaning it to avoid scarring, advises Brauer. “Generally, any emollient like petrolatum will delay scab formation,” he says. In contrast to treatment in dry environments, keeping wounds moist prevents the formation of scars. Wet or moist healing has been shown to achieve the fastest healing and the least amount of scarring, according to a review in the International Journal of Inflammation, which summarized a wealth of research on wet, moist, and dry healing for scar formation.
“Moisturize with petroleum jelly and cover with a bandage,” recommends Salyards. “This needs to be done every day until the open wound is completely covered in a new skin or the sutures are taken out.”
Conclusion
Preventing wounds is the best way to prevent scars from stitches but caring for active wounds is second only to this. Use gauze as a wound dressing and wash the wound with warm, soapy water to keep it clean and moist. After the broken skin has healed, change the dressing to a silicone gel scar patch, which is the gold standard for reducing new scars from stitches. You should experience improvement after a few months of consistent use.
