Ask Dr. Schultz
How can I completely remove scars from my hands?
Hi Jhonie, thanks for your excellent question.
Scars from a stitches or a surgical procedure are typically what we call hypertrophic scars, and they usually are raised, firm and they start out pink or red and then they finally become white. There are a number of at-home treatments that can reduce the appearance of scars. For example, there are silicone sheets or even scar gels like Mederma and this scar gel from your local drugstore. The scar gels have chemicals called polyethylene glycols or even polymethacrylates. Usually these products work over a period of weeks to months to fix the scar but I’ll give you a tip for another home treatment. When my patients are looking for at-home treatments for their scars, I usually tell them to take some Vaseline or any other lubricant and very firmly rub the scar for 15-30 seconds, three to four times a day for a few weeks and that may well make the scar go away. It’s the rubbing and the pressure that makes the scar better and the Vaseline or whatever other lubricant you’re using is just to prevent a skin irritation. But what happens if these treatments don’t work? Then you see your dermatologist who will shrink the scar and normalize it with tiny injections of cortisone or if the scar is young enough so that it’s still pink while it’s raised it can be fixed with painless laser treatments. Remember, the longer a scar has been there, the more difficult it is to treat.