A scar is a formation consisting of connective tissue. Formed as a result of healing of the skin after injury. Scars can remain on different parts of the body, including the lips. An improperly healed wound causes complexes and can cause mouth deformation and functional discomfort. It's easy to get a scar on your lip, but it's hard to get rid of it. Pharmacies, salon procedures and folk recipes will come to the rescue.
Causes of scars
Obviously, scars form after tissue has been first damaged and then healed. They can be injured in different ways:
- As a result of mechanical impact . This happens especially often in childhood, when a child falls and hits his face on something. If the damage is minor, then the scar will remain barely noticeable, perhaps it will be a line slightly different in color.
- After suturing . The need for this may also arise after an unsuccessful fall with a deep cut of the lip. Then the tissues need to be held together with surgical sutures for healing. And if there was a tumor on the lip that was removed in the operating room, stitches will have to be applied.
- With the help of piercing . The fashion craze of wearing lip earrings can get boring. But a puncture that has existed even for a short time will heal with the formation of a changed area.
- After an exacerbation of herpes . This infection affects 90% of the world's population. From time to time it reminds itself of itself with rashes, which more often go away without consequences in 7, 10 days. But if a bacterial infection also appears in the place where the bubble formed, everything will take longer to heal. And after the scab falls off, a scar may remain.
- As a result of an animal bite . Pet saliva contains a lot of bacteria. And the damage that a dog or cat can cause can be very significant. Both factors lead to injuries that will not heal without the formation of a scar on the lip.
Features and types of scars on the lip
Scars on the face are an aesthetic and medical problem. In some cases, the patient requires the help of plastic surgeons to restore proportions and functions. It is easy to damage your lips; the skin in this area is thin and sensitive.
The main causes of lip damage:
- Applying sutures to the incision. After a fall, blow, or surgical removal of tumors, the lip may become severely torn and require suturing. The edges are tightened with special surgical threads.
- Herpes (cold on the lips). Herpesvirus infection has been diagnosed in 90% of the world's inhabitants. Against the background of reduced immunity, the virus is activated and worsened, which manifests itself in the form of rashes around the mouth. The duration of the acute period is 1-1.5 weeks. If a bacterial infection enters the wound, healing will take longer and a scar will subsequently form.
- Piercing. A puncture in the lip area does not always heal quickly and correctly. Many piercing fans experience rejection and an unsightly white mark or bump remains in the place of the hole.
- Animal bite. Pets playing too much can accidentally injure their owner and cut the skin. The damage may not be deep, but bacteria in saliva often leads to complications.
- Mechanical impact. Hitting your face on an uneven surface, the angle leaves small scratches. Often a small child hits toys and furniture, trying to quickly understand the world around him.
- Tattoo. Modern cosmetology allows women to look flawless in any situation. Thanks to the introduction of permanent into the layers of the skin, the lips look painted. Failure to comply with the technology and deep penetration of the needle often leave small scars.
In order for scar removal to be successful, you need to know what type it is:
- Atrophic. It looks like a depression formed as a result of the absence of collagen fibers.
- Kellyone. A growth on the surface, convex. Capable of growing.
- Hypertrophic. Protrudes above surrounding tissues. The color of the scar is bright. The cause of formation may be infection of the wound.
- Normotrophic. It is on the same level as the rest of the skin, differing only in color.
Scars on the lips take a long time to heal if the depth of the damage is large and the defenses of the immune system are reduced. If a suture was placed, it will take about a year for final formation. Minor injuries recover quickly.
Types of formations
When it is necessary to remove a scar on the lip, you must first determine what type it is. There are several of them:
| Types of scars | Description | Photo |
| Normotrophic | It is a mark that differs from other fabrics only in color. These are the easiest scars to simply disguise and practically do not require serious removal measures. A normotrophic scar may differ from normal tissue in sensitivity | |
| Atrophic | It looks like a depression on the skin of the lips, as it is formed when there is a deficiency of collagen in this area | |
| Hypertrophic | This formation protrudes against the background of the rest of the surface of the lip. Sometimes it can be very noticeable. In addition, a hypertrophic scar has a bright color. The cause of this type is infection of the lesion on the lip. | |
| Keloid | The difference that makes this type the most problematic to eliminate is its ability to grow tissue. Reduced immunity affects the formation of keloid scars |
How is the laser scar resurfacing procedure performed?
Removing scars is most often a painless procedure. However, in some cases there is increased sensitivity of the skin to the laser. In such a situation, local anesthesia with an anesthetic cream is used. During the day, slight swelling and redness of the treated area may persist, and then small crusts will form, which will go away within a week.
After the procedure, you must avoid damaging the scar area for three days. This area should be protected from direct sunlight. To do this, use sunscreen. The cream is used for at least six weeks after the laser resurfacing procedure. The result of the procedure is long-lasting.
| Before | After |
How long does it take for a scar to heal?
The scar on the lip lasts a long time. Actually, tissue formation is similar to what happens when other parts of the body are damaged. And the rate of replacement of destroyed cells with new ones depends on:
- the extent and depth of the wound,
- general condition of the body,
- accession or absence of infection.
If the damage was minor, the tissue will heal quickly. But in case of a serious injury or after surgery, the scar will take a year to acquire its final appearance. And you can almost never predict what type it will turn out to be.
Child's split lip
If an adult is injured, it is to some extent easier to bear. But at such a moment the child becomes more frightened and may scream, involuntarily aggravating the problem - when screaming, the mouth opens wide, the lips become tense, and the cut receives additional negative effects. Therefore, first of all, the baby needs to be reassured, consoled, and persuaded to be patient.
What to do if a child has a cut lip and is it worth self-medicating? Even if you think it is a minor injury, it is better to consult a doctor. Parents are responsible for the child, and it is better to be safe. It is important to remain calm and confident, because panicking adults only worsen the condition of an already frightened baby.
Otherwise, the treatment process follows the same rules as for adults, except that you should pay closer attention to the cleanliness of the wound, especially in small children.
When is there hope that the scar will resolve on its own?
Sometimes you don't have to worry about how to remove a scar on your lip. If the damage was minor, and healing went without problems, then the trace of it will be barely noticeable. And over time, such a normotrophic scar practically disappears. It becomes thinner, ceases to remind itself of painful sensations, its color approaches the rest of the tissues and is on the same level with them.
If we are talking about hypertrophic and keloid scars, you should not expect that they will disappear on their own. And even methods of professional influence on them are not always effective enough.
How does laser work in scar treatment?
Laser scar treatment is the only procedure that can reduce the depth of scars and eliminate them permanently.
The essence of laser scar treatment is to remove the top layers of skin along with scar tissue. At the same time, restoration processes in the treated areas are enhanced, new young collagen and elastin are synthesized, which leads to the formation of a normal structure of the dermis.
It should be noted that red fresh scars and keloid scars are not always indications for scar resurfacing. As a rule, you should wait until the inflammation subsides and the formation of scar tissue stops before performing the laser scar removal procedure. On average, this process takes up to six months.
Help at home for speedy healing
If a scar has formed on the lip, how to remove it is more important for the owner than any other information. You can try folk remedies that will help normalize processes in newly formed tissues, thereby making them less different from the rest:
- Cacao butter . If you apply a thick layer of it to the scar and rub it in lightly, the skin on your lips will become smoother. Daily use until the desired effect appears will ensure healthy tissue development in this area.
- Honey and cinnamon . This mixture, if you take the components in equal proportions, promotes tissue regeneration. It is applied to the problem area for 15 minutes, daily, then washed off. This will make the scar not only less prominent, but also less bright.
- Parsley . The juice of the plant whitens and refreshes the skin of the lips, making it softer. This also changes the appearance of the scar, it becomes less convex and turns pale.
- Eucalyptus oil . It softens, moisturizes the skin, restores blood circulation. Applying eucalyptus oil at night and covering it with a bandage can make the scar less noticeable.
For information on how to treat scars with folk remedies, watch this video:
These methods are most effective for small scars left after herpes or other rashes on the lips. If the problem is more serious, you can use pharmaceutical products . Many of them also contain herbal ingredients, but the effectiveness of the drugs is much higher. Among the tested means:
| A drug | Description | Photo |
| "Kontraktubex" | This is an ointment with allantoin, anti-inflammatory plant extract and heparin. It softens the scar, inhibits the growth of its tissues, and helps healing. Use the ointment 2, 3 times a day for 3, 6 months | |
| "Dermatix" | Helps smooth skin, moisturize and soften. Due to this, the scar becomes less noticeable and does not bother you with unpleasant sensations. Use the gel twice a day | |
| "Clearwin" | Consists of plant components that promote tissue resorption. The scar smoothes out and fades | |
| "Kelofibrase" | The ointment contains urea and heparin. The first softens and moisturizes tight skin. Heparin helps to level it. "Kelofibraza" can be applied several times a day, make lotions with it at night | |
| "Zeraderm Ultra" | The product helps with long-formed and dense scars. It contains potent absorbable components, which allows you to fight keloid and hypertrophic scars. It is enough to apply it once a day |
Scar healing rate
The speed of healing depends on the degree of damage (depth and size of the wound), the general condition of the body, and the quality of wound care. If the wound is shallow, it heals quickly. Even if a scar remains after healing, it is barely noticeable and will completely resolve over time.
If the wound is deep or the person has undergone surgery on the lips , then the recovery process is delayed for several months (about a year). In this case, the condition of the scar depends on the behavior of the patient; if he takes care of the damaged area, the mark will be barely noticeable.
If a person neglects the rules of wound care, and his immunity is weakened, then the scar will be noticeable and will cause many more troubles. In any case, it is almost impossible to predict what the scar will be like.
To avoid troubles, speed up tissue healing and promote the formation of a neat scar, you need to use special external products. They are used to treat fresh scars to speed up their resorption.
