Types of Scars

Burn scars

Burn scars appear on the skin following damage to the skin caused by burns. Burns can affect different layers of the skin and therefore produce different types and severity of burns. First degree burns affect only the outer layer of skin (epidermis) and these types of burns will not usually produce permanent scarring. Second degree burns impact on both the outer layer of the skin (epidermis) and the lower layer of the skin (dermis), these types of burns can leave scars but they will usually not form raised scars but this depends on each individual case. Third degree burns penetrate both the epidermis and dermis of the skin and therefore will leave a scar on the skin. Finally, fourth degree burns destroy both the layers of the skin as well as the deeper tissue such as muscle. Similarly, to third degree burns, these will also lead to scarring on the skin. Any scarring resulting from those burns impacting the outer layers of the skin will begin to fade overtime and usually not leave any permanent scarring, however, burns which effect the deeper layers of the skin will usually lead to more permanent scarring on the skin which may lead to you seeking treatment.

There are three different types of scars which can form as a result of burns, these are known as contracture scars, hypertrophic scars and keloid scars. Contracture scars present themselves as thickened areas of tissue where the skin is tightened around the area impacted. Hypertrophic scars present themselves as a raised area on the skins surface, they are usually pink, red or purple in colour. Finally, keloid scars present themselves as raised and shiny bumps on the skin which will appear both on and around the area that received the burn.