Wounds vs Scars: Spot the Differences, Apply the Right Treatments

When it comes to treating wounds and scars, one of the most common reasons why treatments ‘don’t work’ is simply because the wrong treatments are applied. Today, let’s clear the air on wounds and scars, so you’ll know what to do – and what not to do – when healing your skin after a cut, scrape, burn or medical procedure.

Treating wounds and scars

With this in mind, it’s important that you administer the correct treatments for both wounds and scars (and don’t mix them up).

The three phases of wound healing

After an injury happens, a wound is formed. The healing process consists of three phases^1,2,3 , namely:

Swelling (i.e nflammation)

At this stage, you will notice the wound getting red and swelling. Your body starts forming a clot to “plug” the wound and stop the bleeding. It also sends signals indicating that an injury occurred, so your body recognises the wound and begins the healing process.

Proliferation

This next stage is where the healing process takes place. New blood vessels are formed and damaged skin starts healing.

Maturation

This is the final phase of wound healing, and involves wound closure, the formation of scar tissue, and the contraction of the skin around the wound.

Your wound healing treatment should begin immediately after the wound occurs (i.e., as soon as possible after the injury) and last until the wound has healed, and you see the scar formed. This is essential as interruptions to the process may lead to delayed wound healing, or worse, a non-healing chronic wound.^2,3

Treating your wound

These are the steps to take, so you can prevent infection, promote healing and minimise scarring:

Step 01

Clean the wound

Cleanse your wound with mild soap and water to remove any dirt or debris. Even if you can’t see any dirt, clean it anyway as bacteria may be present. Avoid using harsh antiseptics, as they could damage healthy tissue.

Step 02

Keep the wound moist:

Wounds heal best in an optimally moist environment, as hydration aids in healing. You can easily create this optimal moist environment by applying a topical treatment like Dermatix® Wound Care, which helps to create an optimally moist environment for wound healing.

Step 03

Protect the wound:

Apply a sterile dressing or bandage to keep it clean and prevent it from being contaminated.

Treating your scar

After the wound has fully healed and scab has fallen off, you can discontinue the use of your wound treatment. Now, it’s time to begin treating the scar.

While there are various ways to treat scars – including laser therapy, cryotherapy, dermal fillers, skin needling, surgery, and others⁵ – an effective and well-tolerated scar treatment is silicone gel. A popular choice is Dermatix® Ultra, which uses an innovative CPX Silicone technology and Vitamin C Ester formulation that has been clinically proven to lighten, soften and flatten scars^7,8,9 when used over a 3-month period.¹⁰

Speaking with a medical professional

We hope this article has been helpful in getting you started in wound and scar care. Should you have any questions, please speak to your doctor for professional advice.