Burn scars are among the most hideous marks that may form on the skin. These range from mere discolorations to deep, rough marks that may stay permanently on the surface of the skin. Unlike other marks, these scars could not be easily removed due to their depth and how they affected the inner layers of the skin. Because of these reasons, it is likewise important to know the odds on how these scars may be removed, and the proper ways to have them erased or at least reduced to lighter levels.
Types of Burn Scars
There are three different types of burns, and they indicate the difficulty of the scars to be removed. These include:
- First degree burns. First degree burns consist of simple burns not necessarily by heat, but by certain chemicals such as light acids and other strong compounds. Examples of first-degree burns include discolorations on the skin due to the use of harmful astringents and or topical creams.
- Second degree burns. These burns tend to cover a larger part of the skin, and have deeper effects consisting of darker discolorations and rougher lines. These burn scars tend to be more difficult to remove as they have be smoothened out together with the rest of the skin surface.
- Third degree burns. Third-degree burns are the most difficult burns to treat, as the skin has already been heavily damaged. Treatment for such burns includes skin grafting and cosmetic surgery.
Burn Scar Treatment
Burn scars may be difficult to treat but they can still be reduced and eventually removed from the skin surface. While third-degree burn scars tend to stay, lower degree burn scars may still be fixed and minimized to significant levels. These include:
- Aloe Vera. For small burns such as those areas affected by astringents, Aloe Vera herb can be used by rubbing its leaves on the skin. This herb is rich in Vitamin E, C and lycopene, which all help in enriching skin health and nourishment. It also effective on other types of scars, such as acne spots.
- Cocoa butter and olive oil. Applying cocoa butter on burned areas of the skin helps alleviate the pain felt on the affected sections, and at the same time it reduces the created marks. Olive oil meanwhile acts as a natural toner that keeps the skin in uniform shade even after suffering from burns.
- Wheat germ and almond oil. Wheat germ and almond oil solutions may be applied on the burned areas of the skin especially after taking a shower, as these allow the skin to relax and peel off the surface.
Tretinoin and collagen creams are also effective in removing scars brought by burns. These ointments are available in drugstores and supermarkets, and they can be applied regularly for a few weeks in order to remove the visible burn scars and other dark marks on the skin.
Surgical treatments such as laser resurfacing and cytotoxin injections may also be performed to get rid of burned marks and scars. They can however, be very expensive and take a series of procedures in order to achieve desired results.