How to Get Rid of Stitch Scars on the Face
Stitches are necessary if your skin cannot heal on its own after injury or surgical procedures. Since this disrupts your skin's natural healing process, the adjoining skin and stitched area may have a residual scar once healed. Ridding yourself of stitch scars on your face depends on size and severity. At-home methods may be feasible, or you may have to visit a surgeon to see about more sophisticated procedures.
Massage the affected area gently once the skin is healed and stitches have been removed. This breaks down dense areas that are more prone to scar formation from stitches. It also increases blood circulation to the skin, helping it heal more quickly. Massage the area for a few minutes throughout the day.
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Exfoliate your facial skin twice a week. You can use either an exfoliating scrub or brush to get rid of the dead skin cells. Gently rub area in small circular motions to slough off the damaged layers. Results are not immediate, but with frequent use, exfoliation can reduce the appearance and get rid of stitch scars.
Ask your dermatologist about dermabrasion 2. The procedure sands away the damaged outer skin layers with a special instrument, allowing smoother, healthier skin to replace it. Dermabrasion is only done once to see results and healing time may vary from a couple of weeks to a couple of months.
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Schedule a laser treatment to remove damaged portions of skin. Once the laser is applied, it burns off scar tissue so that fresher skin underneath can emerge. This treatment has very few side effects aside from mild inflammation, usually treated with over the counter analgesics. You may need several treatments before the stitch scars fade away.
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References
- Columbia University: Embarrassing scars — how can I get rid of them?
- American Academy of Dermatology: What is a Scar
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Writer Bio
David Friedman began writing professionally in 2004. His work appears in the "Daily Illini" and various websites. Friedman is a certified personal trainer through the American College of Sports Medicine and has Bachelor of Science in exercise science from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.