What are the 3 types of scars?
Sarah Smith
Published Jan 16, 2026
What are the different types of scars and treatment?
- Keloid scars. These are thick, rounded, irregular clusters of scar tissue that grow at the site of a wound on the skin, but beyond the edges of the borders of the wound. ...
- Hypertrophic scars. Hypertrophic scars are similar to keloid scars. ...
- Contractures. ...
- Adhesions.
How many types of scars are there?
There is only one type of scar. The appearance of a scar depends on the nature of the wound that produced the damage, the anatomical location of the wound, and a variety of genetic factors that are different for each individual.
What is the most common type of scar?
Hypertrophic scars are one of the most common forms of scarring. Although they look similar to keloid scars, hypertrophic scars are caused when there is too much collagen in the skin, giving it a raised appearance.
What are the two types of scars?
There are two types of abnormal scarring: hypertrophic and keloid.
How do you classify scars?
Based on anatomy, scars can be classified as hypertrophic scars, keloids, atrophic scars, and scar carcinomas. Hypertrophic scar is the most common type in clinical practice and can be subdivided by clinical features.
17 related questions foundWhat are the 4 types of scars?
What are the different types of scars and treatment?
- Keloid scars. These are thick, rounded, irregular clusters of scar tissue that grow at the site of a wound on the skin, but beyond the edges of the borders of the wound. ...
- Hypertrophic scars. Hypertrophic scars are similar to keloid scars. ...
- Contractures. ...
- Adhesions.
What is a superficial scar?
Superficial Scars — this type of scar is long and thin. It may be slightly raised and red in the first few months, but then usually flattens and heals neatly. Hypertrophic Scar — this type scar has an over-active wound healing process and has generated additional collagen.
Why do scars itch after 10 years?
Scars from burns, contractures, may make your skin stretch tightly. Healed burn scars may often trigger an itchy sensation due to the skin tightness.
What is best for surgery scars?
Treatments include surgery to remove the scar, steroid injections, or silicone sheets to flatten the scar. Smaller keloids can be treated using cryotherapy (freezing therapy using liquid nitrogen). You can also prevent keloid formation by using pressure treatment or gel pads with silicone when you are injured.
What are the stages of scar healing?
However, there are three distinct stages to healing and your scar will have a different appearance during each stage. The three phases to healing are the inflammatory stage, the proliferative stage and the remodelling stage. The inflammatory stage begins immediately and lasts a few days.
What is best for scars?
If you want to try an over-the-counter product, silicone gel or silicone sheets have the best evidence they can help reduce the appearance of scars. For more serious scars like keloids, other treatments like cryotherapy, laser resurfacing, or scar removal surgery may be an option.
Do scars grow with you?
A keloid scar is an overgrowth of tissue that happens when too much collagen is produced at the site of a wound. The scar keeps growing, even after the wound has healed. Keloid scars are raised above the skin and can be pink, red, the same colour or darker than surrounding skin.
Do scars Ever Go Away?
Most scars fade over time and don't cause long-term health problems. How a scar changes depends on its location, size and type. A scar may fade so much that you can barely see it, but it never completely goes away. Some scars cause problems months or years later.
What is a deep scar?
A hypertrophic scar is a thick raised scar that's an abnormal response to wound healing. They more commonly occur in taut skin areas following skin trauma, burns or surgical incisions. Treatments include medication, freezing, injections, lasers and surgery.
What makes scars visible?
Scars can be more sensitive to ultraviolet light for more than a year. An inability to respond to 'photodamage' may lead to worsening inflammation and altered pigmentation. The latter phenomenon may make a scar more conspicuous relative to its surroundings.
What cell type is most important for scar formation?
As part of the healing process, specialized cells called fibroblasts in adjacent areas of skin produce a fibrous connective tissue made up of collagen. The bundles formed by these whitish, rather inelastic fibres make up the bulk of the scar tissue.
Is Vaseline good for surgical scars?
Petroleum jelly prevents the wound from drying out and forming a scab; wounds with scabs take longer to heal. This will also help prevent a scar from getting too large, deep or itchy.
Can plastic surgery remove scars?
Scar revision is plastic surgery performed to improve the condition or appearance of a scar anywhere on your body. The different types of scars include: Discoloration or surface irregularities and other more subtle scars can be cosmetically improved by surgery or other treatments recommended by your plastic surgeon.
Why does my surgery scar hurt years later?
In the early stages, scar tissue isn't always painful. This is because nerves in the area may have been destroyed along with healthy body tissues. But over time, scar tissue may become painful as nerve endings regenerate.
Can a scar reopen after years?
Can a c-section scar reopen after years? The short answer is: yes, a cesarean scar can reopen years after the operation.
Why do scars turn red?
In the initial stages of wound healing, the wound and developing scar appear red or reddish-purple. This is because the injured area sends signals to the body to direct more blood flow to the area to help the healing process.
Why do scars turn white?
White scars, or “hypopigmented” scars, are due to a loss of melanocytes that manufacture pigment. This loss is usually permanent, but can sometimes be improved by fractional laser resurfacing, which allows some of the pigment cells to migrate back into the lighter-colored skin areas.
What is a pitted scar?
What are pitted acne scars? “Known as atrophic scars in the world of dermatology, such scars form a hollow pit or indentation on the facial skin as a result of recurrent moderate-to-severe acne," says Dr Madhuri Agarwal, founder of Yavana Aesthetics Clinic.
What is an atrophic scar?
An atrophic scar develops when the skin cannot regenerate tissue correctly. Unlike keloids and hypertrophic scars, atrophic scars are indented in appearance due to healing that occurs below the expected layer of skin.
What is a rolling scar?
Rolling scars happen because of bands of scar tissue that form under the skin. They give the surface of the skin a rolling and uneven appearance. They also develop because of dermal tethering to the subcutis tissue. They're typically 4 to 5 millimeters wide and give a rolling or undulating appearance to the skin.