Scarring

Want to look mean and tough? Dress in black, smoke a fat cigar, carry a violin case, and—above all—have a big scar running down one cheek.

Of course, looking mean and tough may not be the look you're after. If that's the case, you've come to the right place. How you treat a cut can determine what kind of scar, if any, may develop. And how you care for that scar can determine how fast and to what extent it will fade (as cars do over time).

Nip scars in the bud. If you don't want dog hair on your sofa, don't own a dog. If you don't want cavities, don't eat sugar. And if you don't want scars, don't get cut. It's that simple. "Every time the skin gets cut, it scars," says Gerald Imber, M.D., an attending plastic surgeon at New York Hospital-Cornell University Medical Center in New York City. But some people, he says, tend to scar more than others. "It's a very personal thing." However your body reacts, consider protecting your skin with gloves, long pants, and long sleeves whenever working around thorny, sharp, or jagged objects.

Help wounds heal properly. A wound that heals quickly and neatly is less likely to develop a scar than a wound that festers. Make sure all your cuts and scrapes are properly cleaned (hydrogen peroxide is a good cleanser), and try to keep the wound slightly moist with an antibiotic ointment while it is healing, says Jeffrey H. Binstock, M.D., a dermatologist in private practice and an assistant clinical professor of dermatologic surgery at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine. (For proper treatment of cuts and scrapes, see page 171.)

Don't pick at scabs. Mama was right. Picking scabs off a healing wound could increase your chances of leaving behind a visible scar, says John F. Romano, M.D., a dermatologist and an attending physician at St. Vincent's Hospital and Medical Center of New York.

Close gaps with a butterfly bandage. If you do get cut, and the cut is large enough, you should go to a doctor for stitches, particularly if the cut is on the face (where a scar would be most visible). But if a cut is small, and you are concerned about scarring, consider the use of a butterfly bandage, says Dr. Romano. These bandages, available at most pharmacies, can help to keep the wound closed for better healing and minimal scarring. They should be used only after the wound has been thoroughly cleaned.

Eat a well-balanced diet. Wounds won't heal right unless your body has what it takes to make them heal right. What does it take? Protein and vitamins—obtained by eating a good, well-balanced diet—are essential. And of particular importance to wound healing is the mineral zinc. Good sources of zinc include roasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds, Brazil nuts, Swiss and cheddar cheeses, peanuts, dark meat turkey, and lean beef.

Treat scars with tenderness. Sweat glands, oil glands, and hair glands are all destroyed by a scar, leaving it much more at the mercy of the elements than the rest of your skin, says Paul Lazar, M.D., a professor of clinical dermatology at Northwestern University Medical School. He advises keeping large scars, such as those from a third-degree burn, lubricated with a good skin cream to protect them from abrasions.

Take it easy in the shower. One common source of abrasions to tender scars is a washcloth in the hands of an overzealous washer. Dr. Lazar recommends cleaning scars very gently.

Cover your scars with sunblock. Scars have less pigment than the rest of your skin. They therefore lack the ability to develop a protective tan, and they are especially vulnerable to sunburn. You should make certain to cover all scars with a strong sunscreen whenever you head outside on a sunny day, says Stephen Kurtin, M.D., a dermatologist in New York City and an assistant professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine of the City University of New York.

Don't be overly alarmed. Fresh scars are often quite noticeable, but don't be too concerned. Remember that the color of a scar typically fades over time all by itself, says Dr. Lazar.

PANEL OF ADVISERS

Jeffrey H. Binstock, M.D., is a dermatologist in private practice in San Francisco and Mill Valley, California, and an assistant clinical professor of dermatologic surgery at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine.

Gerald Imber, M.D., is an attending plastic surgeon at New York Hospital-Cornell University Medical Center in New York City.

Stephen Kurtin, M.D., is a practicing dermatologist in New York City and an assistant professor of dermatology at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine of the City University of New York.

Paul Lazar, M.D., is a professor of clinical dermatology at Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago, Illinois. He is a former board member of the American Academy of Dermatology.

John F. Romano, M.D., is a dermatologist and an attending physician at St. Vincent's Hospital and Medical Center of New York. He is also clinical instructor in medicine at New York Hospital-Cornell University Medical Center in New York City.