Scars
Educational information. Individual clinical review of this presentation by Dr. Ehsan is not yet documented. It does not replace personal medical evaluation.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine. Read the original source
MedlinePlus data edition September 26, 2026. Imported September 27, 2026. These dates do not indicate a new clinical review of the article.
A scar is a permanent patch of skin that grows over a wound. It forms when your body heals itself after a cut, scrape, burn, or sore. You can also get scars from surgery that cuts through the skin, infections like chickenpox, or skin conditions like acne. Scars are often thicker, as well as pinker, redder, or shinier, than the rest of your skin.
How your scar looks depends on:
- How big and deep your wound is
- Where it is
- How long it takes to heal
- Your age
- Your inherited tendency to scar
Scars usually fade over time but never go away completely. If the way a scar looks bothers you, various treatments might minimize it. These include surgical revision, dermabrasion, laser treatments, injections, chemical peels, and creams.
Symptoms, tests and care options
Further reading selected by MedlinePlus. Links open the original organizations’ websites.
- Chemical Peels · American Society for Dermatologic Surgery
- Dermabrasion · American Society for Dermatologic Surgery
- Laser Resurfacing · American Society for Dermatologic Surgery
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