Cleft lip: about scars after surgery

A scar on the lip is a rather unpleasant cosmetic problem that is the result of injury or certain diseases. Hard scars not only cause psychological discomfort, but can also cause pain, itching, and disrupt facial expressions and speech.

Wounds on the lips heal quite quickly, since there are many blood vessels in this area. However, scarring is made more difficult by the fact that the lips are very mobile. There are often cases when a healed wound cracks, which is accompanied by pain and itching.

Therefore, after damage, pronounced scars often remain, which spoil the appearance and cause other troubles. However, there are many scar removal methods that are suitable for even the most severe cases.

Causes of scars on the lip

The delicate skin of the lips can be damaged even with minimal traumatic impact. After the integrity is broken, a wound appears in this area, when its edges grow together, a scar is formed. Most often, the skin of the lips is injured for the following reasons:

Mechanical impact. The scar appears as a result of an impact or fall. This is the main cause of scar formation in children. After a small wound, an inconspicuous scar remains;
After suturing. If the deep layers of the lip are damaged, for example, during a cut, the wound will have to be stitched with a ligature (surgical threads). Stitches will have to be placed after the tumors are removed from the lip. And although doctors try to carry out the procedure carefully, the damaged area is still slightly different;
Herpes. This infectious disease is diagnosed in 90% of people. It manifests itself as a periodic rash that usually goes away without consequences after a week. But, if bacteria get into the bubble, then a wound will appear in its place, which will heal for quite a long time. After the scab falls off, a scar may remain in the area;
Piercing. Even after a well-executed puncture, the natural structure of the skin on the lips is disrupted. After removing the jewelry, the hole will close, but a small depression will remain. If the piercing is unsuccessful or the person is allergic to metal, then the puncture site becomes inflamed, then a more noticeable scar remains;

Animal bites or scratches. If you handle pets carelessly, you can damage the skin of your lips. As you know, there are a lot of bacteria in the saliva of animals, so an inflammatory reaction is guaranteed. And after the wound heals, a scar almost always remains.

A cleft lip is a congenital defect that results in a cleft lip. Pathology can be corrected using one or more plastic surgeries. During the intervention, the skin, muscles and mucous membrane are cut and then stitched together, so scars are inevitable.

Peculiarities

A scar can cause inconvenience to its owner and become a real problem, so the question of how to remove a scar on the lip is quite logical. In some cases, it is not possible to do without the intervention of surgeons.

It is very easy to damage the delicate skin of the lips; there are several main reasons why scars may appear:

Applying sutures at the site of traumatic injury. After even a small blow during a fall, the thin skin of the lips is easily cut. In this case, the surgeon sews it together using special threads, which subsequently leave a scar.
In the fall, a scar often remains on the lip after herpes; it is also called a cold. More than 9/10 of the world's population suffers from this virus. It is activated if a person’s immunity decreases, as a result of which rashes may appear on the lips. Healing can take up to 1.5 weeks, and if bacteria gets into the wound, it will take even longer. After complete recovery, scars may form at the site of the rash.
Scars after piercing. Violation of the integrity of the skin cannot go unnoticed; if the puncture site becomes inflamed, a scar may remain.
Bite. Even the most calm and peaceful pets can injure their owner by accidentally biting or simply playing too much. And even in case of minor damage, there is a chance of getting a scar due to bacteria that entered the wound along with the animal’s saliva.
Mechanical damage. Even a small blow that leaves a small scratch can develop into a scar.
Tattoo. This is now one of women's favorite beauty treatments because it makes you look like you're always wearing fresh makeup. This is possible due to the fact that a permanent is injected under the skin, which creates the feeling of painted lips or eyebrows. However, not all masters who provide this service are sufficiently qualified; any violation of technology can cause dire consequences in the form of scars. Also, the appearance of problems after tattooing may be associated with the characteristics of the skin.

Types of scars and their characteristics

To choose the most suitable type of scar correction, you need to know what type it is:

Normotrophic. This is a barely noticeable mark that differs from surrounding tissues only in color, and in some cases, in sensitivity. Normotrophic scars are the easiest to disguise;
Atrophic. In appearance, this is a depression that appears due to a lack of collagen in this area during regeneration;
Hypertrophic. This is a scar that protrudes slightly above the skin level and is also wide. Such scars have a bright reddish-bluish tint, so they are striking. This formation is a consequence of infection entering the wound on the lip;
Keloid. This is a raised scar that appears due to increased collagen production in the damaged area. This type of scar can grow tissue, making it the most difficult to get rid of. As a rule, keloids form against a background of weakened immunity.

In addition, there are tight scars, which appear as a result of the skin tightening after a burn.

Causes and types of scars

Damage to the delicate skin of the lips can occur due to:

Mechanical impact. Such injuries most often occur in children due to a fall, bruise, or blow. With a small wound, a scar may remain in the form of an inconspicuous line, different in color from the skin around it.
Carrying out piercing. The lip puncture site heals, leaving behind a scar. The formation of a changed area occurs even with a short period of wearing the earring.
Stitching. Surgical threads are used to fasten tissues in case of a deep dissection of the lip or removal of a tumor. After the stitches are removed and the wound heals, a trace remains.
Herpes. 9 out of 10 people on the planet are carriers of this infection and often suffer from rashes on the lips. If a bacterial infection is associated with the formation, the blister takes longer to heal and may leave behind a small scar.
Animal bite. Damage caused by pets can be noticeable with scars.

Due to various injuries, including those on the lips, the body activates recovery processes to restructure the surface of the skin.

There are the following types of scars:

Normotrophic. Such a scar differs from the surrounding tissues only in color and is on the same level with them.
Atrophic. A scar in the form of depressions formed due to a lack of collagen fibers.
Hypertrophic. A bright scar on the lip, protruding above the surrounding tissue. Most often, such a scar is formed due to infection in the wound.
Keloid. A raised growth on the surface of the skin that can grow.

Any of the scars is an unpleasant phenomenon that should be gotten rid of as soon as possible, especially if the lesions on the skin are large and visually very noticeable.

Scar healing rate

The speed of healing depends on the degree of damage (depth and size of the wound), the general condition of the body, and the quality of wound care. If the wound is shallow, it heals quickly. Even if a scar remains after healing, it is barely noticeable and will completely resolve over time.

If the wound is deep or the person has undergone surgery on the lips , then the recovery process is delayed for several months (about a year). In this case, the condition of the scar depends on the behavior of the patient; if he takes care of the damaged area, the mark will be barely noticeable.

If a person neglects the rules of wound care, and his immunity is weakened, then the scar will be noticeable and will cause many more troubles. In any case, it is almost impossible to predict what the scar will be like.

To avoid troubles, speed up tissue healing and promote the formation of a neat scar, you need to use special external products. They are used to treat fresh scars to speed up their resorption.

How to prevent scars on your lips

In order for the injured area of skin to heal without consequences and for a scar to not appear on the lip at all, it is necessary to properly care for it:

in case of deep injury, you need to resort to surgery and tighten the edges of the flesh with sutures;
the seam must be regularly treated with antiseptic and healing medications;
for herpetic rashes, follow your doctor’s advice and increase your immunity;
It is strictly forbidden to remove the formed crusts from the wound;
carefully select tattoo and piercing artists to avoid unpleasant consequences.

Can a scar resolve on its own?

In some cases, a scar after a lip injury may disappear on its own. This is possible if the wound was minor and the regeneration process went without problems. Then the trace of damage will be barely noticeable.

In this case, we are talking about a normotrophic scar, which can resolve without outside intervention.

Over time, it becomes thinner, painful sensations are weakened, and its color approaches the surrounding tissues. Such a scar is practically no different from the surrounding tissue.

It is much more difficult to get rid of hypertrophic and keloid scars. Such scars do not resolve on their own; moreover, keloids can grow over a long period of time.

In this case, laser resurfacing will be the most effective.

Plastic surgery is effective in the fight against hypertrophic scars. Atrophic scars also do not disappear on their own. To remove them, you can use cosmetic procedures or plastic surgery.

How to remove a scar

In addition to the fact that scars have an unaesthetic appearance, they can also cause functional inconvenience, so their owners sooner or later have the question of how to get rid of a scar on the lip. If we are talking about a normotrophic scar, then it does not need to be removed, since it does not cause any inconvenience, and the difference in color will become less noticeable over time.

If the scars are keloid or hypertrophic in nature, then they will not disappear on their own. It is very difficult to get rid of them, even with the help of specialists. But atrophic scars respond well to therapy. And you can get rid of them using several ways.

Methods for removing scars on the lip

There are many ways to correct lip scars. However, it should be remembered that it is not possible to completely remove the scar, but it is possible to make the scar in the lip area less noticeable to others. When choosing a treatment method, you need to consider the type of scar.

In the early stages, you can use folk remedies and external preparations at home to remove small scars.

Cosmetic and physiotherapeutic procedures can be used to correct deep or raised scars. In advanced cases, only plastic surgery will help.

Use of traditional medicine

Effective folk recipes are used as part of the complex treatment of fresh scars:

Apply a thick layer of cocoa butter to the scar and rub in gently to make the skin smoother. With regular use, healthy tissue will develop on the damaged area;
Mix honey with ground cinnamon in a 1:1 ratio. Treat the scar with this mixture, leave for 15 minutes, and then wipe off. With daily use, the scar will become less convex and lighter;
Chop a bunch of parsley and squeeze out the juice. Lubricate the lips with the liquid or apply a piece of gauze soaked in parsley juice to the damaged area. This method will help smooth out small scars and lighten them;
Apply eucalyptus oil to the damaged area and secure with a bandage before going to bed. This liquid will make the scar softer, moisturize the skin, and normalize blood circulation. With daily use, a small scar will become almost invisible;
Pass eggshells and grape seeds through a coffee grinder several times. Separately, dilute the white clay with water until creamy, add a little eggshell powder and seeds to the mixture. Apply the mixture to cleansed lips, massage gently, leave until the clay dries, and then rinse. After the procedure, lubricate the affected area with a moisturizing cream or oil with a healing effect.

There are many folk recipes that will help remove a scar on the lip after herpes, piercing or injury and improve the condition of the skin. However, these drugs will only be effective as part of complex therapy.

Drug therapy

To speed up skin healing and form a neat, almost invisible scar, it is recommended to use scar-resolving gels and anti-scar ointments at an early stage of treatment. Ointments and gels that will help remove scars from the lips:

Contractubex based on allantoin, plant extracts and heparin has a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect. After its use, the scar softens, its growth slows down, and tissue healing accelerates. Contractubex ointment is applied to the damaged area twice or three times a day for 3 to 6 months;
Dermatix helps smooth the skin and make it softer. As a result, the scar becomes less pronounced and does not cause discomfort. Apply the gel twice a day;
Clearvin, based on medicinal plants, promotes the resorption of scar tissue. With regular application, the scar is smoothed out and its brightness decreases;
Kelofibrase, containing urea and heparin, makes the skin softer, moisturizes, and evens out the skin. The drug is applied twice or three times a day, while it is recommended to use it once as a compress before bedtime;
Zeraderm Ultra will help reduce the severity of hypertrophic and keloid scars that have long formed. The ointment contains potent substances that have a resolving effect and slow down the development of keloids. The drug is used only once in 24 hours.

Also, to speed up scar healing, silicone anti-scar patches are used, which moisturize the damaged area and soften it. With regular use, the scar becomes paler and its size decreases.

Removal of scar tissue using special procedures

There are many cosmetic and surgical techniques that allow you to get rid of a scar on the lip after an injury, split lip, piercing, etc. The choice of the appropriate procedure is made by a specialist. Normotrophic scars can be removed using ointments and cosmetic procedures.

Hypertrophic scars are corrected with laser or surgery.

Resurfacing, which takes place in several stages, will help make the keloid less pronounced and stop its growth. To correct atrophic scars, chemical peeling and hyaluronic acid injections are used.

Atrophic scars should be treated while they are fresh, and hypertrophic and keloid scars should be treated after healing.

Conservative methods of lip scar correction:

Photocorrection is the treatment of a scar with high-intensity light using a special device that seals the vessels in the area of connective tissue growth. This technique is effective even at the stage of scar formation (up to 6 months), as it allows you to stop its growth. After treatment, the scar becomes less convex and turns pale. The procedure is contraindicated during pregnancy, cancer, endocrine pathologies, blood diseases;
Chemical peeling is the removal of the top layers of skin and acceleration of its renewal process. First, superficial peeling is carried out using fruit acids, and then chemical peeling, which allows you to stop the growth of the scar and speed up metabolic processes. It is forbidden to carry out in the presence of neoplasms, irritation, dermatitis, herpes, hypersensitivity to drugs;
Laser treatment of scars on the lip. There are 2 methods of scar correction: using neodymium and erbium lasers. In the first case, the device polishes the scar, and in the second, it evaporates the liquid in the damaged area, accelerating tissue regeneration. After several sessions, scar tissue disappears and new skin appears in its place. Laser correction is contraindicated in case of poor blood clotting, cancer, dermatitis, diabetes;

Injections of hyaluronic acid are done in the presence of sunken scars. The liquid penetrates the damaged tissue and activates the production of collagen, due to the lack of which an atrophic scar has formed. The therapeutic effect occurs quickly. Contraindications: blood diseases, dermatitis, epilepsy, allergies to injected substances;
Mesotherapy is the injection of beneficial solutions into the scar. These drugs accelerate metabolic processes, as well as the formation of new skin cells. Contraindications for mesotherapy are the same as for previous techniques. In addition, the procedure is prohibited if you are allergic to the components of the solutions or if you have implants.

In severe cases, surgical excision of the scar is performed. During the procedure, the edges of the scar are cut down to the level of healthy skin. The operation is performed under local anesthesia. Only fully mature scars are removed.

The recovery period takes up to 3 weeks, the final result is noticeable after 3 – 6 months.

Skin grafting involves grafting skin onto the damaged area. This is a more complex and expensive procedure that allows you to completely hide the scar.

Plastic surgery to remove scars is prohibited for diseases of the respiratory, cardiovascular, circulatory systems, infections, skin diseases, diabetes, etc.

Intervention by a surgeon or cosmetologist

Many people have a question about how to remove a scar on the lip after a cut; a cosmetologist will help with this. To restore the skin after damage, cosmetologists use several methods. The most popular and effective among them:

Using a laser. This is one of the most effective ways to get rid of a scar. The laser beam removes the upper damaged layers of the epidermis, and the lower ones, in turn, become natural in color and match the surrounding tissues. To get rid of old scars, you will need to undergo a treatment course, including up to eight sessions. You can get rid of bulges by sanding.
Applying photocorrection will help seal and stop the growth of connective tissue. It also promotes sealing of blood vessels, which will prevent the formation of a compacted layer. This procedure is recommended within six months after injury.
Hyaluronic acid injections help stimulate collagen production, which helps smooth out scars.
Fractional laser uses small beams to cause damage that stimulates the growth of collagen and elastane fibers. As a result, the scars above the upper lip or under the lower lip are smoothed out.

Using cosmetic methods to remove scars is not a cheap pleasure, but they are the most effective. After several sessions, the skin will become smoother and healthier.

Scar on a child's lip

In children, lip injuries are most often caused by a fall. If the wounds are shallow, they will heal without leaving a mark, and most scars will become less noticeable as the child grows older.

This is due to the fact that the structure of the skin of young patients resembles that of an adult closer to 7–8 years of age. Then the connection between the epidermis and the dermis increases, the skin fibers become larger, and the condition of the sweat glands changes.

All these changes will lead to the fact that over time, most scars will disappear or become almost invisible.

If there is a deep wound, you must urgently stitch the wound and treat it with antiseptic and antibacterial agents prescribed by the doctor. After the wound has healed, the scar should be treated with creams or gels that will speed up regeneration and help make the scar less noticeable.

However, it should be remembered that these products can cause allergies.

Laser resurfacing is also used to remove scars on the lip in children. To correct the shape of the scar and reduce its contours, plastic surgery is prescribed. Fresh scars are more amenable to correction, so treatment should begin in the first 6 to 8 weeks.

Help at home

If a scar has formed on the lip, how to remove it is more important for the owner than any other information. You can try folk remedies that will help normalize processes in newly formed tissues, thereby making them less different from the rest:

Cacao butter . If you apply a thick layer of it to the scar and rub it in lightly, the skin on your lips will become smoother. Daily use until the desired effect appears will ensure healthy tissue development in this area.
Honey and cinnamon . This mixture, if you take the components in equal proportions, promotes tissue regeneration. It is applied to the problem area for 15 minutes, daily, then washed off. This will make the scar not only less prominent, but also less bright.
Parsley . The juice of the plant whitens and refreshes the skin of the lips, making it softer. This also changes the appearance of the scar, it becomes less convex and turns pale.
Eucalyptus oil . It softens, moisturizes the skin, restores blood circulation. Applying eucalyptus oil at night and covering it with a bandage can make the scar less noticeable.

Preventive measures

To prevent the occurrence of pronounced scars, you need to properly care for the wound:

If your lip is cut, you should consult a doctor who will stitch you up and advise you on how to care for the wound;
Regularly treat the wound with antiseptics and antibacterial agents recommended by the doctor;
After the wound has healed, use external preparations that relieve inflammation and accelerate tissue regeneration;
During treatment of herpetic lesions of the lips, increase immunity;
Do not remove any crusts that have formed from the wound;
If you decide to get a piercing, then choose an experienced master and a high-category beauty salon.

Scars on the lip are a cosmetic defect that causes complexes and, in some cases, physical discomfort.

To avoid scarring, you need to properly care for damage to the delicate skin of your lips.

But, if a scar has already appeared, then there are many ways to correct it. The choice of the appropriate method depends on the type of scar; this decision is usually made by the doctor together with the patient. To speed up wound healing and promote the formation of a neat, almost invisible scar, the patient must follow the doctor’s recommendations.

Features of lip care

If lip injury cannot be avoided, you should follow the recommendations of your doctor to minimize unpleasant cosmetic defects. Seeing a doctor is the first step in scar prevention! The second step in care will be regular and timely treatment of the wound with antiseptics. If the cause of the defect is the herpes virus, which regularly recurs, then you should pay attention to the state of the immune system, change your lifestyle, give up bad habits, and take a course of antiviral therapy. To prevent a scar from becoming a result of piercing, lips should only be pierced under medically sterile conditions by a qualified specialist.

The article has been verified by the editors