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Diseases & conditions
Featured
Molluscum contagiosum: How to safely treat it Both the CDC and the FDA warn against treating this common childhood condition on your own with non-prescription treatments. See what they recommend.
Biosimilars: 14 FAQs Find answers to questions patients ask about this newer treatment option, including, “What’s involved in switching from a biologic to a biosimilar?”
Everyday care
Featured
Practice Safe Sun Everyone's at risk for skin cancer. These dermatologists' tips tell you how to protect your skin.
Relieve uncontrollably itchy skin Find out what may be causing the itch and what can bring relief.
Darker Skin Tones
Featured
Fade dark spots Find out why dark spots appear and what can fade them.
Untreatable razor bumps or acne? If you have what feels like razor bumps or acne on the back of your neck or scalp, you may have acne keloidalis nuchae. Find out what can help.
Cosmetic treatments
Featured
Laser hair removal You can expect permanent results in all but one area. Do you know which one?
Scar treatment If you want to diminish a noticeable scar, know these 10 things before having laser treatment.
Botox It can smooth out deep wrinkles and lines, but the results aren’t permanent. Here’s how long botox tends to last.
Public health programs
Featured
Free materials to help raise skin cancer awareness Use these professionally produced online infographics, posters, and videos to help others find and prevent skin cancer.
Dermatologist-approved lesson plans, activities you can use Free to everyone, these materials teach young people about common skin conditions, which can prevent misunderstanding and bullying.
Find a dermatologist
Featured
Find a Dermatologist You can search by location, condition, and procedure to find the dermatologist that’s right for you.
What is a dermatologist? A dermatologist is a medical doctor who specializes in treating the skin, hair, and nails. Dermatologists care for people of all ages.
Proper wound care: How to minimize a scar
Whenever your skin is injured – whether by accident or from surgery – your body works to repair the wound. As your skin heals, a scar may form, as this is a natural part of the healing process.
Here are dermatologists’ tips for reducing the appearance of scars caused by injuries such as skinned knees or deep scratches.
Whenever your skin is injured—whether by accident or from surgery—your body works to repair the wound. As your skin heals, a scar may form, as this is a natural part of the healing process.
The appearance of a scar often depends on how well the wound heals. While scars from surgery or over joints like the knees and elbows are hard to avoid, scars caused by minor cuts and scrapes can become less noticeable by properly treating the wound at home.
Here are dermatologists’ tips for reducing the appearance of scars caused by injuries such as skinned knees or deep scratches:
Always keep your cut, scrape or other skin injury clean. Gently wash the area with mild soap and water to keep out germs and remove debris.
To help the injured skin heal, use petroleum jelly to keep the wound moist. Petroleum jelly prevents the wound from drying out and forming a scab; wounds with scabs take longer to heal. This will also help prevent a scar from getting too large, deep or itchy. As long as the wound is cleaned daily, it is not necessary to use anti-bacterial ointments.
After cleaning the wound and applying petroleum jelly or a similar ointment, cover the skin with an adhesive bandage. For large scrapes, sores, burns or persistent redness, it may be helpful to use hydrogel or silicone gel sheets.
Change your bandage daily to keep the wound clean while it heals. If you have skin that is sensitive to adhesives, try a non-adhesive gauze pad with paper tape. If using silicone gel or hydrogel sheets, follow the instructions on the package for changing the sheets.
If your injury requires stitches, follow your doctor’s advice on how to care for the wound and when to get the stitches removed. This may help minimize the appearance of a scar.
Apply sunscreen to the wound after it has healed. Sun protection may help reduce red or brown discoloration and help the scar fade faster. Always use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher and reapply frequently.
If you have minor cuts or scrapes, you can help reduce the appearance of a scar by properly treating the injury at home. However, if your injury is deep, very painful or if your skin becomes infected, seek immediate medical care.
A burn can turn into a serious injury without proper treatment.
Although no scar can be completely eliminated, most scars fade over time. If you’re worried about the appearance of a scar, see a board-certified dermatologist. A dermatologist can answer your questions and talk about ways to make your scar less visible.
Have a skin, hair, or nail problem?
No one understands your skin better than a board-certified dermatologist. Partner with the expert for the best care.
