Your eczema disrupts your life. You worry about how others will perceive you during a flare-up. You find yourself missing out on favorite foods and activities because you are worried a flare-up might occur.
As if that were not enough, you are also faced with lasting reminders of your suffering if your eczema leaves you with scars. Eczema scars are a possibility with any form of eczema. This is why your treatment for contact dermatitis, atopic dermatitis, facial, or any other form of eczema should also address scars.
Scar treatment should be a two-phased approach which includes preventing scars and reducing the scars which already exist.
Scar Prevention
Scar prevention is an essential part of any eczema therapy program. Obviously, if you can prevent scars you will not have to learn to eliminate them later. The good news is that most of the steps you take to heal your eczema will also help you prevent scars.
1. Keep Your Skin Clean
The number one cause of scars is secondary infections from eczema wounds. Once infection sets in, the wounds stay open longer.
The longer the wounds stay open, the faster the body rushes to close them. When in a rush, the body only produces thick, rubbery collagen-filled skin instead of the soft, normal skin that would regrow naturally.
Keeping your skin clean and moisturized with a natural cleanser is the best way to prevent scar-causing infection.
2. No Matter What, Do Not Scratch
When you scratch, you tear your skin. You deepen and widen your wounds. Furthermore, you force the dirt and germs on your hands and fingers into your open wounds which will cause infection and scars. It is important that you use methods to prevent scratchings, such as cooling clothes and extra moisturizer.
When treating eczema in children it becomes even more important to prevent scratching because children do not understand the long-term implications of scars and cannot use restraints.
Reducing Existing Scars
If you did not care for your eczema appropriately before you understand how to treat the condition or if a flare-up has ever become severe, chances are you have scarring. If you suffered from eczema on your face, neck, arms, or hands it is also very likely that your scars are visible to others.
If this is true, or even if you simply want to reduce the scars in the covered areas of your body, you should know that you can reduce their appearance and in some cases eliminate your scars.
1. Massage The Scar
The body wants to heal itself and restore your skin to normal function. It even wants to replace collagen-filled, non-flexible scar tissue with softer, normal skin.
Even after a scar is formed, the body gradually dissolves the tissue and builds healthy new tissue. The way the body heals itself is by sending healing nutrients and protein building blocks to the tissue in the bloodstream.
If you massage the scar, it will increase the flow of blood and accelerate the replacement of scar tissue with healthy tissue.
2. Use A Healing Balm
It is a proven fact that certain plant and animal extracts have a phenomenal impact on healing, reducing, and even eliminating scar tissue. Some extracts, like vitamin E, are very concentrated moisturizers that soften the skin and heal it from the outside in.
Others, like aloe vera and lemon juice, are able to lighten the color of scars and remove the darkness that makes them so visible. Making a homemade balm that is a combination of both softening and lightening products will have a dramatic effect on the appearance of your scars.
Scars are not something you have to learn to deal with. Once you learn how to cure your eczema for good, you do not have to have lasting reminders for the rest of your life. Scar prevention and elimination is easy to do and very effective at keeping your skin clear and soft.
