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The human body was created with a perfectly constructed immune system destined to protect it from a variety of injuries including puncture wounds, burns, or blunt trauma. The minute - or second - your body is injured a contagion effect is set into motion to protect itself from further damage.

When an injury appears different cells work quickly to aid the wounded area, this is the beginning of the healing process. This process means that the normal functional tissue is replaced by connective tissue (scar). But not to worry, this is the body's way of protecting itself from harm. Some wounds may leave behind no visual scar tissue, however, not all bodies or wounds heal alike so it is highly possible that sometime in your life your wound will develop into a scar.

Simple Tips for Scar Prevention

Knowing about scar treatment and scar prevention are essential when treating a wound. Here is a short list of tips:

*Avoid hydrogen peroxide: A wound should be kept clean from debris; however, using a product like hydrogen peroxide will destroy new skin cells.

*Avoid the sun: A lot of people use tanning to make their scars less visible, however, UV exposure slows down the healing process and may promote dark coloration. If you do find yourself exposed to solar radiation, don't forget to use sun block. Dermatologists recommend using SPF 15 or higher and reapplying every 2 hours.

*Avoid exposing the wound: Letting the wound 'breathe' only makes it susceptible to debris and further damage. Keep the wound under wraps until it has had a chance to fully heal.

Scar types - how many are there?

If a wound is not properly cared for then you may end up with a scar. There are different types of scars, below we mention a few:

*Keloid scars: These scars are the result of an overly aggressive healing process and occur more often in black skin. These scars extend beyond the original injury. As the scar gets older it may affect mobility. Possible scar healing treatments include surgical removal, or injections with steroids. Once an injury has been sustained, you can prevent the formation of keloids by using pressure treatment or gel pads with silicone.

*Contracture scars: Burn victims are more likely to suffer from this type of scar. It produces tightening of the skin and impairs mobility; furthermore, this type of scar may go deep into the skin and affect muscles and nerves.

*Hypertrophic scars: These scars are similar to keloids, but do not breach the boundaries of the injury site. Possible scar removal may include steroid injections to reduce inflammation.

*Acne scars: This type of scar is seen mostly after an acne breakout has healed. There are different types of acne scars. These may range anywhere from deep pitted scars to scars that are wavelike in appearance. Your choice of acne scar removal will depend on the types of acne scars you have.