Hide scars with camouflage make-up

Hi, this website is to help anyone who is looking for advice on how to hide scars or reduce there appearance. Having a scar on your face or a prominent part of your body can be very distressing in this world where appearance is so important. That is why many people opt for plastic surgery and laser treatment. But there is also other ways.There are plenty of make up products that can hide scars such as Dermablend,whether they are acne scars  or scars caused in accidents. Also if its a new scar there are products like Aloe Vera which can make the scar heal better and improve the appearance. On this Blog we hope to inform you about the many things you can do to help yourself,weather its to conceal the scar using camouflage make up or to stop the scar forming using gels and vitamins.

563b6bd2e56b775 Hide scars with camouflage make up

How scars are formed

Scars are formed when the dermis is cut or injured.The dermis is a deep layer of sensitive skin and when this is damaged the body produces collagen fibres which repair the wound. When the wound is healed a scar is formed. Sometimes the body can produce too much collagen and the scars can become raised,these are called keloid and Hypertrophic scars. These scars are more common in children and dark skinned people. Acne and chicken pox can also cause small scars but most can easily be hidden with make up. Although scars form when the body is repairing itself the skin quality is not as good as unscarred skin. It can no longer produce hair follicles or sweat glands.



Living With Scars

By Lee Eames

Around six years ago I was involved in a minor car accident. Although I wasn’t badly hurt I did receive some small scaring on my face around my eyes and on my nose. They are not large scars but they are in a prominent positions and I was constantly being asked about how I came about them which left me feeling a little paranoid about my appearance. After consulting a Doctor and then a surgeon about having scar revision they told me that surgery probably wouldn’t improve them and could even make them worse. So I decided that I would just going to have to live with them.
Around a year after this I was working on a construction site whenI met a guy who told me about how he hides his tattoo’s before job interviews with camouflage make-up. I asked him if he thought I could use the same concealer to hide the scars on my face he said he was confidant that it could.
Being a man I wasn’t really happy about wearing make up but I still went ahead with buying a small jar of the concealer which is called Dermablend which I learnt is used by actors and is specifically produced to hide scars and skin blemishes. I also needed a setting powder which is used to seal the make up in place.
It was easy to apply. first you remove a small amount from the jar with the tips of your fingers and warm on the palm of your hand. You then dab it on the scars area using a sponge and then seal it with setting powder. Wait three minutes allowing the powder to set. Then lightly brush away the excess powder.
I’ve been using Dermablend for over two years now and nobody has asked about my scars or noticed I was wearing make-up and it lasts all day too.

I’m sure there are other brands just as good but Dermablends the one I’m familiar with and I couldn’t recommended it enough.


Keloid Scars treatment

Some Quick Facts On Keloid Scars

  • Scar formation can be a normal part of the healing process
  • In some cases scar tissue formation can be excessive
  • The two types of excessive scar tissue formation are known as keloid and hypertrophic scarring
  • Keloid scarring tends to overgrow the boundary of the initial injury, and can be itchy and painful. Keloids usually don’t get better with time. Surgical revision of keloid scars can make them worse
  • Hypertrophic scarring tends to remain within the boundary of the initial injury, and get better over time.
  • Darker skin types are more likely to develope keloid scars
  • Keloid scars be be treated with a combination of laser, cortisone/5FU injections, and sometimes surgical excision with adjunctive treatments
  • Hypertrophic scars can also be treated with laser, cortisone/5FU injections and also surgical revision.

Keloid scars

The body’s skin naturally heals itself when it is damaged. This healing process can cause scars to appear.

If the skin is broken , the body produces more of a protein called collagen. The collagen grows around the damaged skin and then builds up helping the wound to seal . The resulting scar tends to pull tight and flatten and then fades over time. Unfortunately Keloid scars continue to grow invading the surrounding undamaged skin and can become bigger than the original wound.

There are many kinds of common skin injury’s that could lead to keloid growth such as :injections, insect bites, burns, acne, chicken pox,surgery, ear piercing, lacerations, abrasions, tattooing, vaccinations, injections, folliculitis/ingrown hairs, and shingles. Their appearance is of a raised, often purple/red coloured scar that can have a solid consistency. Removing the scar is one treatment option, however this could make the scar worse i.e. the probability that the resulting surgery scar will also become a keloid is high, usually greater than 50%. Laser treatment has also been used with varying degrees of success.

Although anyone can have a keloid scar form some ethnic groups are at more risk of developing them than others. Keloid scars are seen 15 times more in highly pigmented ethnic groups rather than Caucasians.

Below is a photo of a typical keloid scar.

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Can you prevent keloid scars?

Unfortunately there’s little you can do if you have the type of skin that forms keloid scars only to follow the usual routine of keeping the wound clean.If you believe you may be susceptible because of previous experience or a family connection then you can avoid taking extra risks. Do not have piercing or tattoos and make sure you tell your doctor if you are going to have surgery that you may be at risk of developing keloid scars .

Treatment for keloid scars

There is no guaranteed method for getting rid of a keloid scar but there are several types of treatment that can be tried.

  • Kelo-cote-advanced gel:Recommended by Dermatologists and Plastic Surgeons, used by the NHS’ Kelo-cote is a new product which has excellent reviews. A patented topical silicone gel for the management and prevention of abnormal scars in the form of hypertrophic scars and keloids.
  • Surgery: This is risky, because cutting a keloid can trigger the formation of a similar or even larger keloid. Some surgeons achieve success by injecting steroids or applying pressure dressings to the wound site after cutting away the keloid. Radiation after surgical excision has also been used.
  • Laser: The pulsed-dye laser can be effective at flattening keloids and making them look less red. Treatment is safe and not very painful, but several treatment sessions may be needed. These may be costly, since such treatments are not generally covered by insurance plans.
  • Silicone sheets: This involves wearing a sheet of silicone gel on the affected area for several hours a day for weeks or months, which is hard to sustain. Results are variable. Some doctors claim similar success with compression dressings made from materials other than silicone.
  • Cryotherapy:  Freezing keloids with liquid nitrogen may flatten them but often darkens the site of treatment.
  • Interferon: Interferons are proteins produced by the body’s immune systems that help fight off viruses, bacteria, and other challenges. In recent studies, injections of interferon have shown promise in reducing the size of keloids, though it’s not yet certain whether that effect will be lasting. Current research is underway using a variant of this method, applying topical imiquimod(Aldara), which stimulates the body to produce interferon.
  • Fluorouracil: Injections of this chemotherapy agent, alone or together with steroids, have been used as well for treatment of keloids.

    Below is a photo of large keloid scarring.

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Below some links to more information on keloid scars.


Xanthelasma

 Some people as they get older can develop white fatty looking,slightly raised plaques under the skin around the eyes.They look like fat which is exactly what they are,They are collections of cells called histiocytes, bulging with fat (usually cholesterol). They appear gradually and are not sore or itchy but they are unsightly.The medical term for these is ‘Xanthelasma’ (pronounced zan-th-laz-m) and it is not dangerous.People can develop Xanthelasma if they have high cholesterol in there blood but this is not always the case and some people are just unlucky.Xanthelasma can be surgically removed(this operation is no longer done on the NHS because its considered cosmetic) or burned off with laser treatment but this can be very expensive and for 40% of the people who have surgery it comes back,this is more likely if you have Xanthelasma above and below both eyes or have high cholesterol. If you don’t like the idea of surgery the best thing to do is hide it with a good camouflage make up like Dermablend or Dermacolor.

Below is a video of how Xanthelasma can be concealed using Camouflage make up

 Below is some Links with more information about Xanthelasma.

 

  • Symptoms of High Cholesterol – Be Aware of the Danger Signs – However, in very rare cases, you can have something called xanthelasma. If you have xanthelasma, it is absolutely definite you have the high level of cholesterol. Xanthelasma is cholesterol deposits which are manifested as yellow …

  • xanthelasma | Home Remedies Discussion Forum – xanthelasma. what is the remedy for xanthelasma. Is there any treatment in ayurveda and homeopathy. In: Cholesterol · Share. By: seema manaktala Level Rating 2points. Answers No Answers yet, be the first to Answer! …

  • Xanthelasma – Premium Vitamins and Herbal Remedies – Herbal Freak – Skin conditions resulting from errors in metabolism are caused by enzymatic defects that lead to an accumulation or deficiency of various cellular components, including, but not limited to, amino acids, carbohydrates, and lipids.

  • What Is Xanthelasma | Causes And Treatment For Xanthelasma – Xanthelasma are painless blemishes composed of fatty material appearing usually outside the upper eyelid. Xanthelasma are mostly flat, elliptical, and yellowish. Causes include high cholesterol level and excessive lipids in the blood …