Trying to prevent scars - Acne Scar Removal

Trying to prevent scars
By David Ceasar, Special to amNewYork

Soap, water and Vaseline. Many experts say that that's all you really need to clean up a cut or scrape and simultaneously prevent scarring.

While more advanced remedies are available -- rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, antibiotic ointment and anti-scarring drugs -- they aren't necessary. Keeping the wound clean and moist is the recipe for success, said Robin Ashinoff, a dermatologist and clinical associate professor at New York University Medical Center.

"If you actually cut yourself and it doesn't require suturing, basically the idea is to stimulate wound healing by keeping it clean," Ashinoff said. "[That] doesn't mean washing it out every day with alcohol or peroxide."

The 17-year veteran of dermatology advised against using full-strength hydrogen peroxide because it can prevent healing. Diluting it with water shows better results. Immediately after an injury, clean the area with soap and water, and make sure there are no foreign bodies, which can increase the risk of scarring.

Using an antibiotic ointment such as Neosporin can prevent bacterial buildup in the wound and help the healing process, but physicians say that above all it keeps the damaged skin moist. That can be achieved by putting petroleum jelly, or Vaseline, on the wound.

What about more holistic remedies like vitamin E? Dermatologists say no.

"About 30 percent of people are allergic to vitamin E. They get redness, swelling, bumps and itching, and it looks worse," Ashinoff said.

A newer option available for those with scars is laser surgery. One type is the pulsed dye laser, which can reduce a scar in only two minutes. This laser is also effective against birthmarks, facial redness and other skin ailments, according to the Laser and Skin Surgery Center of New York.