Scars form naturally after the skin is damaged by simple scrapes and cuts, surgery, or a skin condition like acne. Scarring may appear lighter or darker than your natural tone on dark-skinned children and adults. While some scars fade over time, other scars grow and develop into keloids and hypertrophic scars. These types of scars more commonly affect people with darker skin tones.
Not all scar treatments can be used on children of color. Some therapies like chemical peels can cause dark spots and hyperpigmentation on darker skin tones. Always seek medical advice if you’re unsure.
Instead of chemical treatments, consider treating your child’s scars with natural skincare for children. Melabebe offers skincare products for melanin-rich children that nourish and moisturize your child’s skin to heal and prevent scarring.
Healing Your Child’s Scars
You can reduce the appearance of scars on your melanin-rich child with scar management techniques. Scar management methods like massage, moisturizing creams, silicone gel, and sunscreen help break down scar tissue to make your child’s scar appear flatter and smoother.
- Scar Massage
This technique can be performed on any cut or incision after it’s healed. Scar massage is especially helpful after your child’s surgery to prevent thick scar tissues from forming. You can start massaging your child’s scar after the scab has fallen off.
Massage the scar by rubbing it for 5 to 10 minutes once or twice per day. Rub it in the same direction as the scar and with enough pressure to see the color of the scar change.
After massaging the scar for four weeks, change the direction of your massage. Move your hands up and down, from side to side, and rub circles around the scar. You can also criss-cross the scar and pull the skin together and apart.
Massaging helps keep the tissue around the incision site loose, preventing it from sticking to other tissue and forming a thick scar. Use lotions while massaging the scar to help soften the skin and make massaging easier.
- Use Lotions and Creams
Moisturizing lotions and thick skin creams can help reduce the appearance of your child’s scar by softening their skin. It’s important to find the proper skincare for melanin-rich skin. Look for lotions, creams, or oil that include ingredients like Vitamin E and Vitamin A to promote healing and cell regeneration.
Antioxidants in your green tea and thyme can help reduce inflammation and itchiness, helping your child heal faster and reduce their temptation to scratch the scab.
Cocoa butter, aloe vera, and honey are other natural ingredients to look for in your lotions and creams. They moisturize your child’s scar and help soothe it while it heals.
- Topical Silicone Gels
Thicker scars like keloids and hypertrophic scars are more difficult to treat and may require silicone gels. Topical silicone gels are made from medical-grade silicone, and they help flatten the scar. Silicone gel also helps scars blend in more with the rest of your skin by reducing the discoloration of your child’s scar.
Silicone gel products work best on new scars and can be applied when your child’s wound heals. You may need to contact medical professionals to find the right topical silicone product for your child.
- UV Protection
Scar tissue is more sensitive to sunlight, and using the right sunscreen can protect your skin from harmful UV rays and hyperpigmentation. Look for sunscreens that offer at least 30 SPF and cover both UVA and UVB spectrums.
How to Prevent Scars
Good habits can prevent your child from scarring in the future. Make sure they never pick or pop pimples or scabs. If your child suffers from acne, contact your doctor for effective treatment options that prevent acne scars.
Always treat cuts correctly. Wash the cut with soap and water and cover the wound with antiseptic ointment and a bandage so it can heal properly.
Your child’s dry skin and healing wounds may feel itchy, leading them to scratch and cause scars. You can reduce itchiness by using melanin-rich skin nourishment like body creams and oils on your child’s skin.
Heal Your Child’s Scars with Melabebe
Everyday cuts, acne, and skin trauma from surgery can leave your child with scars. Their scars may be more noticeable because of your child’s darker skin tone. Help fade scars on your child with Melabebe. At Melabebe, we understand how the skincare industry underserves our children by not making high-quality products that focus on the needs of darker skin.
Our line of skincare for melanin-rich children focuses on natural products that are safe and effective. Melabebe’s rich skin cream helps heal and protect your child’s skin. Visit our online store to learn more about our line of clean, natural skincare products.
