Are Your Scars Bringing You Down?

Are you plagued with scars? Do you look at them and feel like they define you? When you meet a new person, you may feel like your scars are the first thing they see. Although most people do not see someones scars as a definition of the person, we tend to feel that way about our own scars. So, what can you do about it? Can you get rid of your scars or will they always be there? The globe is covered with people who would like to have scars removed for a variety of reasons; most of these concern self esteem and confidence levels.

Acne pock marks are probably the most common facial scars and affect more people than any other type of scar. These scars, because they are directly on the face, affect your sense of self esteem and that of many other people around the world. Many people who were acne sufferers choose to try a variety of treatments in an attempt to remove, or at least reduce, the scarring from their previous skin condition. It is important to realize that the change in your face is not going to be enough to make you feel completely confident. You will have to retrain your thought processes about yourself. This can be done with or without scar removal.

How well scars can be removed will depend on your age, the age of your scars, and the location, nature, and severity of your scars. There are a variety of procedures available to you if you choose to have your scars removed or reduced professionally. These include: Chemical peels, dermabrasion, microdermabrasion, laser resurfacing, and surgical excision. For light, surface scars, chemical peels (light) and microdermabrasion are often used. More intense scarring will need to be removed through other means, such as laser resurfacing or surgical excision. Between the two extremes, you will find that chemical peels can be strengthened and are often used with a strength that is customized for the severity of your scar.

Everybodys scarring process is different, just as we are. You may get scratched by a cat and have the slightest scar, if any. Should that same cat scratch me, the scar will be obvious against tanned skin, much more pronounced than yours. This would be partially genetics, which map out the various processes of our bodies, but it would also be due to the fact that I am allergic to cats. My body will be trying to fight allergens that entered the skin when I was scratched at the same time that it was trying to heal the scratch. When your body has only one thing to focus on at a time, it (like many of us) is much more efficient at that task. This is not to say that everybody who is allergic to cats will be scarred from scratches; in all actuality, few people have lasting scars from cat scratches.

There are also treatments that you can purchase in cream form without a prescription. These treatments work very slowly over time, so you will need to be prepared to treat your scar daily (at least once, some directions are twice or more), and be prepared to treat for many months. If you choose to do this, you will need to know that the changes are so slow that you will not notice them from one day to the next. You may want to take a picture about once a month to compare and see the progress. By doing this, provided the treatment is working, you will be motivated to continue the treatment. Seeing the change from one month to the next also helps lift your mood, knowing that your efforts are paying off.

Whatever method of scar removal you choose, keeping your skin healthy will be an integral part of the healing and changing process. The first thing that you should look at is your fluid intake. You should be drinking, at least, 64 ounces of purified water and natural fruit juices every day. This will infuse your skin with necessary internal moisture and will have a great impact on toxin removal in your skin. Like the cat scratch example, these toxins in your skin will slow your healing process, sometimes by a considerable amount of time. You also need to take a serious look at the foods you are eating every day. Our articles on diet and skin will help you reorganize you eating habits for optimal skin health.