These appear as shiny, hairless bumps.

Which Burns Necessitate a Doctor’s Visit?

Although you can personally treat minor first-degree burns from home, it’s always advisable to call a doctor if they haven’t healed after a week. Always check out for infection signs like swelling, redness, or pus.

For second-degree burns, make sure to contact a doctor to advise if you need to book an appointment. By describing to your doctor how the burn looks, they will offer relevant advice.

When you’re dealing with a third-degree burn, you must seek medical assistance as soon as possible. Make sure you visit the hospital immediately.

Even after healing, many of these burns will leave behind permanent scars on the skin. Many people wish that these scars could go away but don’t know how to. Fortunately, we have just the perfect solutions for you.

 

How to Prevent Burn Scars from Forming?

The best solution to scar burns is to prevent their formation in the first place. This way, you won’t have to deal with scar removal procedures. So, what should you do after a burn?

• Use cold water to rinse the burn, and let it dry.
• Apply an antibiotic ointment on the burn to prevent infections 
• Use a nonstick bandage to cover your burn, and place a gauze on top.
• Make sure you cautiously straighten the area around the burn a few times a day. This will help prevent contractures.
• In case of blisters, let them pop on their own and seeks a doctor’s assistance in cutting off the dead skin.
• Keep the burn covered with a cloth or sunscreen for a few months to avoid direct sunlight.

Although prevention is the best burn scars remedy, sometimes you’ll still develop them. So, what do you do if they occur? 

There are various ways to treat different types of burn marks. Through these treatments, some of these scars will completely fade away, while others will become almost undetectable.

 

Best Treatment for Burn Scars

Burn scars healing is a complicated process. But depending on the type or extent of a scar, various treatment methods can be applied. While some small scars require simple cream or ointment application, others will require surgery or a combination of a few scar removal remedies.

Also, while some scars will completely heal and disappear, some will be quite impossible to eliminate entirely. Here are some of the most common and effective treatments for burn scars removal.

Creams and Ointments

There are quite many over-the-counter treatments that you can try out. However, be sure about the product you are using to avoid even more complications. The existence of many counterfeits can make it hard to know the right products to treat your burn scar.

That’s why you should always check with your dermatologist before using any cream or ointment. The doctor will be able to give you the right prescription and instructions to apply it.

Be wary of these over-the-counter products as you can never fully know their effectiveness or quality.

Silicone Gel

Various research shows that silicone gel is among the most effective scar treatments. It can easily reduce the visibility of the burn scars by reducing their size, stiffness, and color. Also, silicone is tender on the skin and safe to use.

If you are looking for a product with the trust of doctors and patients, silicone scar removal gel is a perfect one. It is one of the best remedies you can use from home, without worrying about complications.

Silicone Sheets

These are also quite effective burn scars treatment options. And since they are also made from medical grade silicone, they offer a safe solution to your skin. The sheets help your skin to grow new cells, thus fading the dark coloring on the scar.

And you don’t have to worry about pain when removing them. They are easy to remove, as they are easy to apply. 

Another advantage of using the silicone sheets is that they present zero side effects. You can, therefore, treat your burn scar with less worry.

Steroid Injections

If your burn scar is big, your doctor can recommend steroid injections. The injections will help to ease pain and reduce your scar’s size to an unnoticeable one. 

They also reduce the redness, burning, and itching sensations that accompany some of these scars. Some side effects of steroid injections include skin discoloration and atrophy.

Laser Treatments

Although mostly combined with other treatments, scar removal with laser is a great solution. They are used to smoothen, discolor, and flatten the scars. Other treatments that help lasers to be more effective include steroid injections, silicone sheets, and special dressing.

Surgery 

In case the scars fail to respond to the other treatments, surgery might become necessary. A cosmetic surgeon may directly remove the scar formation by cutting it out, and then stitching up the incision. If need be, a skin graft might be used to cover the wound.

However, since some scar types like the hypertrophic and keloids are prone to reoccurrence, surgery treatment is often combined with other treatments to prevent this.

Natural Treatments

Do you want to do your scar removal treatment at home? Well, for minor scars or burns, you may elect home remedies. Some of these remedies are as effective as other professional burn scars treatments. The good thing with natural herbs is that they mostly present zero side effects.

These treatments help to alleviate skin irritation, as well as give back the skin, its former smooth state. Natural herbal treatments are also less costly and readily available to anyone. Aloe Vera and honey are two natural remedies that can treat minor burn scars.

Other Complications of Burns

Besides leaving behind permanent marks on your body, burns might present other serious complications. Some of these will require immediate medical attention, while others are psychological. They include:

• Infections

Most burns cause open wounds that might be susceptible to bacteria and several other germs. While some infections are minor and treatable, others might be severe and life-threatening, like sepsis. 

• Dehydration

Serious burns cause significant fluids loss from the body. The excessive loss of bodily fluids, such as blood and water, can result in dehydration. Dehydration might affect the normal functioning of the body.

• Low Body temperature

Since the skin is responsible for body temperature regulation, extensive damage on the skin can have a significant effect on this function. Severe burns cause massive heat loss from the body, which might lead to hypothermia. 

• Tissue and Muscle Damage 

When the burn penetrates beyond the dermis layer of the skin, it might reach and damage muscles and tissues. This, in return, can result in long-term injuries on these structures.

• Emotional and Self-esteem Issues

Burn scars, especially the visible ones, can affect someone’s self-esteem and confidence. The resultant of this is emotional distress, which can also lead to psychological issues.

Conclusion on Burn Scars Treatment

Even with all these burn scars treatment methods, it’s imperative for one to seek advice from their doctor before making any decisions. The market is flooded with so many products, making it quite hard to pinpoint the genuine ones. Also, these burn scars occur in varying sizes, shapes, and severity. This means that you need the opinion and instructions from a professional to treat these scars effectively.

Some remedies are used as combinations, which necessitates a doctor’s instructions on how to use them. So, even as you treat yourself at home, be careful, and make sure that you have your doctor’s approval.