Over the past few decades, topical scar therapy has attracted the attention of more and more surgeons and dermatologists around the world. With cosmetic procedures being more prevalent than ever before, more scars than ever before are being produced under the operating table. Any invasive surgery or surgery that punctures deep enough into the skin will produce a scar. Some of these scars will diminish over time; others develop into hypertrophic scars and keloids. Still a mystery to medical professionals, keloids have been observed to more frequently affect people with darker skin tones. While scarring is sometimes inevitable, there are precautions you can take to reduce the appearance of unsightly scars.

If you have dark skin and suffer from keloids or hypertrophic scars, continue reading to learn how you can reduce the amount of scarring that occurs as a result of surgery or injury.

Doctor’s don’t know why dark-skinned people tend to keloid more than others. Some reports indicate that African-Americans might be seven times more likely to develop a keloid in their lifetime than light-skinned ethnic groups. A plausible hypothesis is that genetics are responsible for this phenomenon, but the exact genes have yet to be discovered. Along with genetics, one’s environment also plays a role in the development of scar tissue. Therefore, scars heal more efficiently when one takes proper precautions and is mindful of his or her environment.

Smoking delays wound healing

Smoking tobacco and marijuana is known to affect wound healing in many negative ways. Nicotine is a vasoconstrictor, meaning that it narrows the blood vessels and prevents proper blood flow. This cuts off blood and nutrients—components that are necessary for wound healing—from reaching skin tissue. Most surgeons recommend giving up smoking weeks or months before a big surgery to ensure the best post-operative results. If you are predisposed to keloids, giving up cigarettes could be the best thing for your skin.

Use African black soap

African black soap originated from West Africa and has recently become a popular skin care commodity in North America. Black soap got its name from its distinct black color which comes from the ash of plants that is used as an ingredient. African black soap is made with coconut oil, palm oil, and shea butter, making it a great moisturizer and antibacterial agent that can aid in wound healing. Keeping your scar hydrated and moisturized is a good way to soften it to bring back some of its former durability and tensile strength.

Protect yourself from the Sun

It’s a common misconception that dark-skinned people aren’t affected by UV radiation from the Sun. While sunburns and certain types of skin cancer are more common among Caucasians, Asian Americans and African Americans have a greater tendency to have a late-stage diagnosis of skin cancer. This may be because skin cancer in dark-skinned individuals is more difficult to detect and underrepresented in the media. The death of Reggae legend Bob Marley is often overlooked as having been caused by melanoma that was contracted on his foot. The use of sunscreen before spending a day in the sun can help prevent many types of skin cancer. It’s also recommended to use sunscreen on your scar because scar tissue is more susceptible to UV radiation and hyperpigmentation.


Clinically-proven scar therapy
Keloids and hypertrophic scars are difficult to treat, but by observing these skin care tips, you can help your scar heal in the best way possible. If your keloid grows uncontrollably regardless of how well you treat your skin, you may want to turn to topical silicone gel for scar treatment. Topical silicone comes in many different forms and can be applied in several different ways. More and more dermatologists and surgeons now turn to silicone gel technology as the first line of defense against keloids and hypertrophic scars. Silicone gel, also known as medical-grade silicone, is clinically-proven to work for all skin types and all scar types.

Keloids and hypertrophic scars are good candidates for silicone gel therapy because they are the scar types that people most wish to reduce. Silicone gel has been observed to flatten and diminish the discoloration of scars, helping them blend in with the surrounding skin tissue. Old scars can be improved with silicone gel, but the ideal time is to apply silicone as soon as your wound has healed. Products are readily available online or through some physicians.

Biodermis offers custom tailored referral programs designed to simplify and reduce the cost of your patients' post-op care. Additionally, we offer professional pricing if you opt to retail our products. Give us a call at 800.322.3729, and we will be happy to provide additional details on these programs.