How to Reduce Piercing Scars

Think about the potential scarring effects before you get a piercing.

Piercings may be attractive while they are in place, but once the individual makes the decision to remove the piercing, there may be a unsightly scar lurking underneath. Depending on the severity of the scar, the scar may be eliminated or at least lessened. Try several options before you make the choice to live with your scar as you may find that while one method proves to be ineffective, another may solve your problem.

Things You'll Need

• Vitamin E Oil

Instructions

1. Purchase vitamin E oil or a vitamin E cream. You will be able to find this product in the skin care section of your local retail store or pharmacy. According to the American Cancer Society, vitamin E helps boost the immune system and serves as an antioxidant for the body. To help reduce the skin of scarring, you can also take vitamin E pills or tablets to help with skin vitality.

2. Rub the cream or oil onto your scars two to three times per day. Massage the scar thoroughly with the cream or oil to make sure you work it into the piercing scarred places of your body. Wait to dress until the cream or oil saturates into the skin as you may end up with a grease mark on your clothing. After three to six weeks, you will begin to see changes with your scarring, depending on the severity of the scar.

3. Visit your dermatologist. Your dermatologist will be able to offer helpful tips or can give you other options of things that you can do to help eliminate your scars. Depending on the type of scarring your piercing has caused, you may have choices between laser scar removal or even injections of Triamcinolone, which halts the production of collagen in the scarred area to help the scar recede.

4. There are three types of scars that can result from getting a body part pierced. According to Eugene Alford, plastic surgery expert, a keloid scar is one that forms a mass at the scarred site. This type of scar is common with piercings as often a small benign tumor forms to help heal the wounded area. An atrophic scar causes a hole or indention in the skin at the site of the piercing. These are not common with piercings unless the piercing was torn out of the area. The last form of scar is a hypertrophic scar and this scar is raised but heals on its own much more quickly than the other types.

References

• Vitamin E Oil; What Is Vitamin E Oil and How Can It Help?
• Alford Facial Plastic Surgery: Scars and Wound Healing
• American Cancer Society: Vitamin E