Raechele Cochran Gathers, MD “Foot surgery left me with bad scars along the vertical edges of my foot. What do you recommend as a first step to improve/lessen the appearance of the scars?”
Scars, whether flat—or enlarged and thickened—can be painful, unsightly and downright embarrassing. In a culture where pristine and unmarred skin is highly desirable, it can definitely be distressing to suffer from dark scars on your body, and many women want to know how to fade dark scars. Scars can develop after any injury to your skin. Scars form when your skin heals the damage with collagen, a naturally occurring protein in the body. If a scar forms with too much collagen, you can get thick scars, which are called hypertrophic scars or keloids. The appearance of scars can vary form person to person, and even within the same individual.
Factors Affecting Scars
- Genetics
- Skin color
- Type of injury or wound
- Type of injury or wound repair
- Sun exposure
Six Ways to Fade Dark Scars
1. Silicone Gels and Creams
Silicone gels and creams can improve the color, texture and thickness of scars. There are many over the counter silicone gels and creams. Scaraway is a popular silicone gel used to fade dark scars.
In this study, with 30 patients with different types of scars, silicone gel was found to improve the appearance of the scars.
Before and after silicone gel treatment, Puri N and Talwar S. J Cutan Aesthet Surg
2. Antioxidants Serums
Serums containing antioxidants like vitamin C, green tea extract and vitamin E may help to heal and repair your skin, as well as lighten and fade your scars. This antioxidant rich vitamin C serum from Paula’s Choice is an example of a topical that can help fade dark scars and improve the appearance of your skin. It feels good on the skin and is very light.
3. Sunscreens
Sunscreen is not just for protecting you from sunburns and helping to avoid skin cancer. The right sunscreen can often help prevent darkening of scars. It can also help protect your skin so that you can fade dark scars faster! EltaMD sunscreen is a physical sunblock, which means it’s chemical free. It offers good protection to help fade dark scars.
Also remember to keep dark scars covered by clothing (if possible) to avoid excessive sun exposure. The sun can darken your scars! Check out this post for information on choosing a sunscreen that works for your skin.
4. Chemical Peels
Many dermatologists offer chemical peels to help fade dark scars. Usually a series of peels is done, and they can be very helpful for rejuvenating the skin and improving the appearance of dark scars.
5. Hydroquinone
Bleaching creams with hydroquinone can help to fade dark scars. They are typically applied twice daily for a period of time, and can be very helpful in lightening darker areas. They are available by prescription. Read more about hydroquinone here.
6. Topical Tranexamic Acid
Topical tranexamic acid (TXA) is available in some over-the-counter fade cream. Some studies indicate it may be as effective as hydroquinone. If you’re concerned about the controversy around hydroquinone side effects, topical TXA may be an option for you. If you’re interested in learning more about TXA to help fade dark scars, read this.
There are several other treatment options for fading dark scars. Your dermatologist might also offer laser treatments, steroid injections, or other treatments to help fade dark scars.
