Are scars lighter or darker than skin?

When a scar first develops on lighter skin, it's usually pink or red. Over time, the pinkish color fades, and the scar becomes slightly darker or lighter than the color of the skin. In people with dark skin, scars often appear as dark spots. Sometimes scars itch, and they may be painful or tender.
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Can scars be darker than your skin?

In other words, dark scars can be a shade or two darker than your complexion, or they can be several shades darker. The depth of pigment on a dark scar is something that will vary depending on factors like your natural skin tone, the location of the scar, and how long it took the scar to heal.
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Why are some scars lighter?

When the damage is deeper than that, your body creates a material that is thicker than skin to repair the wound. This thicker material often creates a scar. New scars usually have a pink or red color, but the color may change to lighter or darker than one's skin tone as the scar ages.
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Do scars get lighter or darker in the sun?

Skin trauma and inflammation (for example surgery or severe acne) can trigger post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, causing the scar to turn dark brown. Exposure to ultraviolet light can make the condition worse.
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What color is a fresh scar?

White or pale scars are a good sign that the scar has fully healed. Scars that are slightly elevated are also usually red or pink in complexion.
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Why Does Dark Skin Scar Differently To Light Skin?



What Colours are scars?

What are the signs of a scar? When a scar first develops on lighter skin, it's usually pink or red. Over time, the pinkish color fades, and the scar becomes slightly darker or lighter than the color of the skin. In people with dark skin, scars often appear as dark spots.
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Do scars get darker before they fade?

It can take up to 12-18 months after your injury or operation for a scar to heal. A normal scar will become darker initially and after a period of time this will start to fade. Dark scars can remain for years or indefinitely in people with darker skin.
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What are the 3 types of scars?

What are the different types of scars and treatment?
  • Keloid scars. These are thick, rounded, irregular clusters of scar tissue that grow at the site of a wound on the skin, but beyond the edges of the borders of the wound. ...
  • Hypertrophic scars. Hypertrophic scars are similar to keloid scars. ...
  • Contractures. ...
  • Adhesions.
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How long does it take for a scar to turn white?

Scars take time to settle. The lumpiness, puckering and thickening in the scar take 2-3 months to diminish, whilst the redness and pigmentation can take up to 9-12 months to fade. Most scars become flat and pale after 12 months.
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Do scars tan differently?

Some scars will actually become darker than the surrounding skin that was sprayed. This often occurs with older scars in areas where the skin is rougher, such as the elbows, knees and knuckles, or if the scar is raised with an uneven surface or distinct edges.
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How do I know what kind of scar I have?

A dermatologist examines your skin to determine what type of scar you have. He or she makes note of its location and size because scars may have different characteristics depending on where they are on the body.
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What are the 4 types of scars?

Types of scars
  • Normal fine-line scars. A minor wound like a cut will usually heal to leave a raised line, which will gradually fade and flatten over time. ...
  • Keloid scars. ...
  • Hypertrophic scars. ...
  • Pitted or sunken scars. ...
  • Scar contractures.
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What do white scars mean?

White scars, or “hypopigmented” scars, are due to a loss of melanocytes that manufacture pigment. This loss is usually permanent, but can sometimes be improved by fractional laser resurfacing, which allows some of the pigment cells to migrate back into the lighter-colored skin areas.
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How long do scars stay pink?

2. Scar tissue is usually red at first, then pink for 3-6 months and then fades to a slightly lighter than normal skin color. Exposure to heavy sunlight may cause a scar to heal darker. Sun avoidance and use of sunscreen over scar sites is advisable for six months after surgery.
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Do dark scars go away?

Most dark spots will then fade on their own over time, but it may take a long time. Skin injury: As the wound heals, you may see a dark spot or patch. In time, the hyperpigmentation will fade if you don't re-injure your skin.
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Why do scars not tan?

Answer: Scars are fibrous tissue and they can't produce melanin and because they can't produce melanin, they can't tan.
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Do scars look worse before they get better?

Scars seem to get worse before they get better. For about six weeks after surgery the scar becomes red, firm and hard. This is the body's way of making a very strong and solid scar. Over the next four months the scar will soften and lose the redness.
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What should a scar look like when healing?

But here is what a mature surgical scar should look like from a cosmetic point of view: a parallel disposition to the folds and lines of tension of a relaxed skin. an unnoticeable fine line. an elevation similar to the surrounding skin.
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How long does it take for a scar to fade from red to white?

Conclusions: Scar redness fades on average at 7 months. This is influenced by the wound type and position. The authors advocate the use of the term "rubor perseverans" to describe the physiologic redness of a normal scar as it matures beyond the first month, a process that does not involve inflammation.
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Are scars attractive?

Men with mild facial scars were typically ranked as more appealing by women who were looking for a brief relationship, though they were not considered better as marriage material, a study found. In the same experiments, women with facial scars were judged to be as attractive as those without, the researchers said.
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Can massaging a scar make it worse?

If a patient massages their scar prematurely it could cause the wound to tear or reopen, risking an infection. It's therefore important to advise them to not begin massaging until the wound is fully healed.
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Is Vaseline good for scars?

Petroleum jelly prevents the wound from drying out and forming a scab; wounds with scabs take longer to heal. This will also help prevent a scar from getting too large, deep or itchy.
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How long do scars stay purple?

Most of the time red or reddish-purple scars will fade in color as the wound heals, which typically takes around 12 months. In some cases, however, scars can remain discolored. This occurs most frequently with keloids and hypertrophic scars.
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How long do small scars take to fade?

“Usually the scars will heal rather quickly - within the course of a few weeks to one or two months - but you may not see final results for up to a year. Individual factors also influence how quickly your body is able to recover from a wound.” In older patients, or where the skin is more lax, scars settle more rapidly.
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How can I make my scars lighter?

How to Make Scars Less Visible
  1. Medicated Creams or Gels. 1/12. Over-the-counter skin medications such as creams or gels can help. ...
  2. Silicone Gel. 2/12. ...
  3. Zinc Supplements. 3/12. ...
  4. Scar Massage. 4/12. ...
  5. Injections. 5/12. ...
  6. Chemical Peel or Dermabrasion. 6/12. ...
  7. Laser Therapy. 7/12. ...
  8. Microneedling. 8/12.
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