What to do About an Itchy Scar
If you have a recent scar we are going to bet that at some point it has felt tight and itchy. You so badly want to scratch it but know that you shouldn’t since that might reopen the wound. So what can you do about these uncomfortable feelings? Keep reading to learn why your scar feels tight and itchy as well as what you can do about it.
THE SCIENCE
The reason your scar feels tight and itchy can be explained by science. First, let’s consider the wound healing process. When the body is wounded, whether by an accident or during a surgery, the first step to begin healing is to stop the flow of blood. This is called hemostasis. Sometimes your body can achieve hemostasis on its own, such as when you get a cut and the bleeding stops without the need for stitches. However, medical intervention is sometimes needed to achieve hemostasis, such as when a surgeon closes an incision with stitches or staples. After hemostasis, the following phases of wound healing play a major role in causing your scar to feel tight and itchy.
Inflammation is the next step in the wound healing process. You will begin to experience the physical effects of inflammation during this phase, such as swelling, heat, and redness. This is because blood vessels around the wound dilate in order to allow nutrients, white blood cells, antibodies, and a chemical called histamine into the wound. According to the University of Cambridge, the body releases histamine in response to the wound and its sudden exposure to outside elements as a protective function. Histamine is one of the major causes of scar itchiness. Upon its release, histamine activates nerve fibers in the skin that signal the brain that there is an itch.
Another reason why your scar feels tight and itchy is due to the third phase of the wound healing process: proliferation. Proliferation means that the cells around the wound begin multiplying rapidly. The margins around the wound grow and migrate inwards toward the base. Interestingly, the cells follow an electrical pathway at a voltage that is different than the margin so they can determine where the base is. As the cells unite at the center and attach together, they contract to pull the wound shut. This process creates a mechanical stress that activates various nerves, causing the scar to feel tight and itchy.
So now that you understand why your scar feels tight and itchy, you’re probably wondering what you can do about it, right? Read on to learn how the main active ingredient in all of the NewGel+ scar treatment products can help to reduce these uncomfortable sensations and also help your scar heal faster and better.
HOW NEWGEL+ CAN HELP
NewGel+ scar treatment products are formulated with 100% medical grade silicone gel proven to flatten, fade, and smooth your scars as well as reduce scar tightness and itchiness. Silicone gel is the gold standard of noninvasive topical scar treatment products recommended by doctors, surgeons, and scar management experts.
According to a publication in the journal Advances in Wound Care, the key mechanism by which silicone gel heals scars is by replicating the occlusive properties of the stratum corneum (the uppermost layer of skin). When a wound is healing, the new, immature stratum corneum allows abnormally high levels of transepidermal water loss, which can lead to dehydration. The state of dehydration signals to various cells in the epidermis to synthesize and release collagen. Unfortunately, when the body produces too much collagen, the result is a raised, discolored scar. Thus, silicone gel will provide the hydration and occlusion that the stratum corneum needs to heal properly with reduced feelings of tightness and itchiness.
Did you know that NewGel+ offers the widest variety of silicone scar treatment products available? You can pick from silicone gel strips, sheets and shapes, or two tube sizes of topical silicone gel, all of which have been clinically proven to soften, flatten, and fade your scar. Plus, if your scar feels tight and itchy all of the NewGel+ products have been proven to reduce these uncomfortable sensations. Find your perfect match by shopping the NewGel+ scar treatment products now!
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