You've been asking us about scars and their reactions to cosmetic treatments for some time, so we are taking advantage of World Heart Day to tell you more about them but also to share with you our support for the Association " Little Heart of Butter Which aims to fight against congenital heart disease by providing support to families, hospital structures and also research. To raise awareness of this cause, this association and the photographer Antoine Dominique recently launched a testimonial platform " My scar, my hymn to life As a living symbol of their victory over life! Let's see together the course of a scar's life and the treatments and advice to be given to reduce it, whether it is of surgical origin or not, since even a simple acne pimple can leave its traces of memory. .. What is a scar? As a result of an operation, injury or burn, a scar is actually quite a good sign! Indeed, it means that the fibrous tissues damaged during the injury have regenerated, thus revealing, in the long term, these clear recognizable marks which form a scar.A superficial wound will not necessarily generate a scar. If the lesion has only affected the epidermis, the top layer of the dermis, then the skin is able to repair itself easily by producing new skin cells that will not leave any traces. But if, on the contrary, the lesion has reached and destroyed the dermis, the second layer of skin tissue, then the latter will be replaced by scar tissue mainly composed of collagen and elastin which will thus cause the appearance of an insensitive scar, devoid of hair and sweat glands.The healing process takes place in 3 main phases. During the first phase, dead tissue is eliminated by the body over a week and then new blood vessels sprout, allowing the supply of oxygen and nutrients. These are essential for the repair which takes place during the second phase with a massive proliferation of cells, blood vessels and fibers. The last phase is the longest phase, it starts almost 6 months after the incident, begins to stabilize after 12 months and does not really end until after 18 months. This is a maturation phase where the skin eventually regains its structure, but its color will remain more or less white and will remain less elastic. It is only at the end of this process that you can reduce its appearance with surgery if necessary.However, the scars are not the same. They differ according to the color of the skin, the part of the body concerned and the type of pathological or non-pathological scar. The darker the skin, the more marked and slower the scar will be to stabilize. Young children are more at risk. There are generally two different types of pathological scars.The hypertrophic scar, it results from an excessive and abnormal response of the skin tissue and is confined to the limits of the initial trauma.The "keloid" scar that takes a long time to heal and spreads beyond the limits of the initial trauma.Acne and chickenpox scars are sometimes atrophic. It is their bacteria that slow down the repair process and leave these brownish spots or hollow scars. We will soon be covering the subject of acne and the solutions to treat it naturally in our blog.In general, the healing process will obviously depend on the state of health. It will be especially slowed down in smokers, diabetics and people in need of vitamin A and C, trace elements like zinc.Good practices and advice for treating your scarsThere is no miracle cure for removing a scar without surgery. But you can do things to give it the best possible chance to reduce it as much as possible and greatly improve its appearance.First, remember to hydrate it regularly. The more hydrated the skin, the more repairing active ingredients will circulate and promote cell division and migration. Hydration is therefore essential for regeneration of cells. But be careful if you use a bandage, it should not be wet. Do not confuse the phenomenon of scarring in a humid environment with a "wet dressing"!The ideal is to massage every day several times and for several months to maintain the suppleness and elasticity of the skin. The vegetal oils, provided they are pristine, rich in healing active ingredients are valuable allies, for example opt for virgin prickly pear seed oil, of jojoba, of desert date palm. You can boost the healing action by also using essential oils such as the essential oil of rosemary or lavender which, beyond their actions, will also boost the in-depth penetration of active ingredients. Our redensifying serum " Happiness Elixir ”Is therefore very valuable in view of its composition to help you treat facial scars. It is a concentrated bouquet bringing together all these virgin botanical active ingredients for a facial massage without leaving any greasy film.Remember to protect your scars from the summer and winter sun with a 50+ sunscreen until the healing process is complete. Also avoid the sauna. If you are wearing tight clothing, consider protecting your scar with a bandage to prevent chafing and not slow down the healing process.This is what you can do on your own already to reduce the appearance of a scar. You can then call on professionals. There are several alternatives that can participate, starting with the osteopath who can act on the scar by techniques consisting of stimulating the tissues underlying the scar. Or the physiotherapist who, using the endermology technique, will come to "wake up" the deep cells, act on fibrosis, drain and thus intervene painlessly on scars. it is possible to act on all types of scars and limit recourse to a new intervention. Beyond these alternatives, it is the dermatologist who must be consulted who, depending on the scar and its particularity, will determine the most suitable therapy and use the range of solutions at his disposal (laser, injections under -cutaneous, cosmetic operation of the scar, cryotherapy, dermabrasion, etc.). In the case of hypertrophic scars, dermatologists often use corticosteroid injections or even with "delayed" action injections spaced 3 to 6 weeks apart to prolong the action and this, up to two years after your operation. .Discover our Elixir Bonheur serum to treat your facial scars below!