Does a scar bother you?

Scars are formed from a slow wound healing process that results in the transformation of skin and subcutaneous tissues.

Throughout this evolutionary process, different symptoms can appear that are usually annoying. Many of them will be temporary and as skin regenerates, they will disappear. However, in other cases, the symptoms will last for a long time.

A wound can be painful. The abundance of fibres from the sensitive neurons that our skin has transmitted means that the manipulation of that wound will cause pain. The skin is full of these type of nerve endings, capable of detecting pressure, pain, temperature changes, etc., which why a wound is sensitive.

After the initial phase of healing, when the skin is regenerating, the different layers of tissue are formed again, sometimes in a different way from the original and this can cause the nerve fibres of the sensory neurons to change. The presence of new tissues can cause unpleasant sensations such as itching or pain.

The scar tissue itself does not hurt or itch because it is newly formed tissue without nerve endings. However, when pressing the scar, the tissue below is indirectly pressed. The entrapment of newly formed tissue and nerve endings is what causes the pain. With the passage of time, there is usually a readjustment of the space. But there are people who will continue to experience irritating or painful sensation.

The pain of scars can be very intense, it is neuropathic and can sometimes manifest itself, simply by minimal friction. In addition to topical treatments such as anaesthetics or corticosteroids, it may be necessary to take oral treatments or more invasive solutions such as infiltrations or lasers.