Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars
-Khalil Gibran
Understanding Scars
Scars can vary widely in how they look, feel, and affect your daily life. The list below highlights some of the most common scar symptoms.
Those that are underlined are the scar characteristics that I can most help with.
Raised
Red
Pigmented (darker or lighter from the surrounding skin)
Irregular and lumpy
Tight +/- with scar bands and limited movement of surrounding joints or features
Scars can look…
Scars can feel…
Raised
Lumpy and bumpy
Tight
Itchy
Painful
Numb or altered sensations
Scars can mean…
You don’t want to go out
You avoid certain situations
You are confused about what treatment is right for you
You wonder if you will ever be free of feeling conscious of your scar
Keloid
Normatrophic (a ‘good’ scar)
Hypertrophic
Atrophic (dipped rather than raised)
Different scar types…
How scars can look, feel & affect you
The Impact of Scars
If you have a scar, you’ll understand the impact it can have on your life. Scars can affect you physically, emotionally, and mentally, often having a profound effect on your quality of life. Healing from a scar can be a journey, and at each stage, your scar may present different symptoms and require different treatments. At some stages, advice and early interventions can prevent scarring; at other stages, specific symptoms need targeted treatment.
How Scars Form
Scars form when the dermis — the deeper layer of the skin — is damaged. Because the body cannot fully replace the damaged cells, it produces scar tissue to “fill in” the area. Surgery is often necessary to help wounds heal properly and to reduce the amount of scarring that would occur if the body were left to heal on its own. For large or deep wounds, surgery not only improves the final healing outcome but can also be life-saving by reducing the risk of infection or systemic complications.
A scar itself is not the problem — it is your body’s natural way of filling or closing a wounded area, protecting you from potentially serious harm. However, the symptoms of a scar, including how scarring looks and feels, can be uncomfortable, restrictive, and distressing.
Many factors influence whether a skin injury will leave a scar and how severe it will be. These include: The depth and nature of the injury, the location of the wound, time to healing, timing and type of treatment received and your ethnicity.
“Even small changes can make a meaningful difference in how you feel, move, and live day to day”
How Specialist Assessment and Treatment Helps
Assessment and treatment by a scar specialist can improve the appearance and feel of your scar, while also providing reassurance that you are supported and doing everything possible to achieve the best outcome on your healing journey. A scar specialist is a healthcare professional with the training, education, and experience necessary to treat scars. They understand how scars form, behave, and respond to different treatments, allowing them to provide personalised, evidence-informed care tailored to your needs.
Scars often benefit from a team-based approach, where multiple healthcare professionals collaborate to address physical, functional, and emotional aspects of your healing. This ensures you receive the most comprehensive care possible, with access to the right expertise at each stage of your journey.
Read the science on scars - coming soon…
For further information and guidance about scars, I’m happy to refer you to My Scar Specialist – Patient Resources. This educational website was pioneered by my colleagues, I’ve also contributed to its creation and content.
It can be hard to apply general online information to your individual scar, here you will find different scar types and characteristics so that you can identify the one(s) most similar to your scar and be guided to the most likely potential treatment options.
The creators of this site are clinicians and researchers who work in scarring, we have carefully selected credible, evidence-based sources to ensure the information is accurate and trustworthy.
Scars are unique to each person, and understanding your scar is the first step in identifying the most effective treatment.
To see the types of scars I most often help with, explore the examples below. They cover common situations — from burns and trauma to surgery and lacerations — and outline the treatments I use to improve comfort, function, and appearance.