Illinois residents who have been victims of dog bites will know that the pain can continue long past the initial attack. For example, many victims are left with unpleasant or even disfiguring scars, reducing your quality of life. Fortunately, there are possible ways to minimize and care for animal bite scars that may help reduce the appearance and formation of scars.
EverydayHealth shows different steps that can be taken to help reduce the chances of scarring, or to minimize their appearance later on. This includes eliminating factors that can contribute to discoloration, like exposure to the sun. You should also prevent yourself from giving into bad habits that may increase your chance of scarring, like picking at scabs or healing skin. Try not to rely on topical ointments or lotions that promise to heal scars, either. None of these over-the-counter fixes have been proven effective in clinical trials.
During the healing process itself, keep the wound in a damp but sterile environment. If you keep the wound moist with petroleum jelly or other antibiotic ointments and a bandage, it can help reduce the chance of a scar. If your bite wound was particularly deep or large, getting stiches can also help the wound to come together cleanly and heal easily.
Scars can be hard to deal with. The formation of the scar itself can take upwards of a year, and it will constantly be changing even after that. However, applying the proper techniques both during and after the healing process can drastically reduce your chance of scarring, and keep your scars from being as prominent.