Unfortunately, the science behind the usage of vitamin E with wound healing and scar improvement is not favorable. The most important way to improve or prevent scars is wound management. How you tend to a wound is very important to the final appearance of the skin after healing. DON’T Air It Out The old adage of letting a wound dry out in the air to “let it breathe” is not correct. A topical emollient like Vaseline (petrolatum) should be applied to non-infected wounds to prevent the skin from drying out. The epidermis heals itself and covers wounds by skin cells migrating across a wound. The migration of the skin cells is very important to the normal healing process. Allowing a wound to dry out slows healing and can lead to worse scarring. A dried, thick scab is not favorable. Thin scabbing is okay if you are using an emollient. So, keep it greasy! DO Cover It Up Covering a wound is important only if the location of the wound is prone to getting dirty or dusty, is in an area where clothes rub against it, is draining clear (serous) fluid, or is located where a bandage improves the appearance during healing.
It’s also recommended that you cover a wound with “Vaseline and a Band-aid” if you tend to be a picker. Picking a scab worsens scarring and sets back the healing process. If a wound is at risk for infection (like a skinned knee), apply a topical antibiotic after the wound has been cleaned. The topical antibiotic, which is usually in a petrolatum “base,” should be applied frequently to keep the wound greasy for 3 to 5 days and then switched to a plain petrolatum (Vaseline) to keep the wound greasy until healing is complete. After the skin heals, gently massage with a moisturizer or petrolatum to minimize and remove the thickening that often occurs with wound healing. Of course, if a wound becomes infected or appears redder, develops pus, feels warm to the touch, or becomes very painful, it should be seen by a physician immediately. It is important to note that topical antibiotics like Neosporin (triple-antibiotic ointment), bacitracin, and neomycin can cause skin reactions with prolonged usage, which is why it’s recommended that you only use a topical antibiotic for 3 to 5 days before switching to petrolatum.
To clean a shallow wound, many people use hydrogen peroxide every day while the skin heals. Unfortunately, recent studies have shown that continued usage of peroxide actually slows healing and the migration of skin cells. All you need to do to clean a shallow wound is rinse with lots of water to get rid of dirt and bacteria. Peroxide can be used initially after completely rinsing the wound but may cause pain. It is not recommended to use peroxide again after the initial cleaning. Shallow wounds can be cleaned daily with soap and water—and gently! There is no need to scrub wounds that are still healing. After gentle cleansing, the wound can be patted dry before applying a topical antibiotic or petrolatum. If a wound is deep, it should be seen by a physician immediately. For a thick, “hypertrophic” scar or keloid, one of the most effective treatments to minimizing the thickening is the use of silicone gel sheeting. These are sold over the counter. It is important to note that silicone gel sheeting should not be used until a wound has healed completely.
Interestingly, the combination of a topical vitamin E with the usage of silicone gel sheeting has been shown to provide even more improvement than silicone gel sheeting alone. This is the only time topical vitamin E can be effective in preventing scarring—when it is used in conjunction with silicone gel sheeting on a thick, hypertrophic scar.A scab is a crusty protective barrier formed over a wound or damaged skin. A scab is also a non-union worker who takes a job for less money than everyone else while the union is on strike. This article deals with the first definition. I am sure getting rid of union scabs is a hot topic that may skate the line of illegality, so we’ll focus on the skin condition here. It also helps us avoid union trouble. When there is an injury to your first line of defense—your skin—your body responds immediately by clotting the blood and killing infectious organisms. It does this by sending platelets (thrombocytes), fibrin, and proteins known as clotting factors to the wound site.
These combine to create a blood clot. Once the flow of blood has been stopped, your body begins building a scab. The scab forms in a few hours as a sort of temporary skin to act as a barrier and to protect the repairs going on underneath. In most cases, the repairs go well and the white blood cells (lymphocytes) are able to keep out infections. But sometimes an infection occurs and you have to give your body a hand. I am sure you have heard to never pick a scab. Well, as with anything, there is an exception to the rule. Picking the scab will increase your chances of getting an infection. If you do pick the scab, make sure to put some antibiotic cream on it and let it dry out so a new scab can form. Don’t cover the wound unless it is already infected and there is pus (white gooey stuff) coming out. If you pick your scab, you should not only expect it to take longer to heal but you should expect a nice big scar to show up after it finally does heal. To fight the picking urge, use an anti-itch cream to satisfy your itch.
If you do get scars from your persistent scab picking, read this article on how to get rid of scars. Getting rid of a scab on an infected wound is not an easy or pain-free process. Once your wound becomes infected, it may become necessary for you to remove the scab to get the pus out. Your body is fighting the infection as best it can, but it needs all the help it can get. In order to remove the scab, you will want to moisten it by washing it with soap and water. Or you can also use diluted vinegar with a ratio of 1 to 24 vinegar to water. Soak a clean cloth with the solution and place it on the scab. Once the scab has softened, wash your hands with soap and water and peel the scab off slowly. Wash the sore with soap and water and use topical antibiotics to fight the infection. If the infection gets really bad, go see a doctor. Don’t pick the scab off. As long as your wound is not infected you will want to leave the scab right were it is. I know it itches. To relieve the itch, try using an anti-itch cream.
The scab is like temporary skin. And as you know, skin keeps you healthy by keeping out potential infections. There is huge repair process going on under your icky little scab and they don’t want you coming along and setting them back a few more days. Imagine your wound’s repair process is like building a tower of cards. Every time you pick your scab, you are effectively knocking down the unfinished tower of cards and opening up possibilities for worse invasions. Antibacterial topical ointments aid the immune system in defending your body against infections. Even if you don’t have an infection it might not be a bad idea to use some sort of antibacterial topical ointment (like Neosporin, sold at Amazon). But you should still be washing the sore at least five times a day with soap and water. If you use ointment, make sure you spread it evenly and don’t leave big gobs of it on the wound. Excess ointment on the scab is just gonna soften your scab and slow heal time. The ointment is targeting any bacteria on the outside of your scab;
your body takes care of the inside stuff. Also make sure you let the scab dry each time you wash it or treat it. Scabs need to be dry to work properly. Don’t cover the scab with anything. The only time a wound should be covered is if it’s bleeding, oozing, or infected. Otherwise, you just have to keep the scab clean and dry. Scabs don’t work unless they are dry. When scabs get wet, they begin to fall apart and tear, which allows bacteria to get in and cause major problems. So, even though it seems like you need to keep it covered, you won’t unless you want to give yourself more problems. If the scab is on your face, do not under any circumstances put make-up on it. This in all likelihood will add to your potential scarring. If you have to cover a scab, only use a bandage and keep it on for only a few hours at a time. It takes time for your body to heal. As you have probably gathered thus far, there is very little to be done about getting rid of a scab short of what your body is already doing.