When we are small, we usually have to endure many different types of injuries such as burns, cuts, and knocks or bangs in our body. These injuries become less during adulthood, but we still sustain them well. How is it possible? Well, all of these aggressions commence an orderly sequence of steps that are involved in the healing response, in which the normal functional tissue (skin) is replaced by connective tissue (scar). The healing response is also characterized by the migration of specialized cells into the injury site.

The restoration of anatomical continuity and function is the result of the complex and dynamic process of healing. There are 4 basic responses that can happen following an injury:

1.Regeneration (exact replacement)

The skin regeneration process happens when there is loss of structure and functionality. Our body is so incredible, that it has the sophisticated capacity to replace that structure by replacing exactly what was there before the injury. Smaller forms of life, such as the salamander and crab, can regenerate tissue in this way. As man has evolved, we have lost this capacity and can only recuperate a limited amount of injured tissues by the process of regeneration.

2. Normal repair (reestablished equilibrium)

Normal repair is the response where there is a re-established equilibrium between scar creation and scar remodeling. Most humans generate this type of response following an injury. The abnormal response to tissue injury stand in sharp contrast to the normal repair response.

3. Excessive healing (fibrosis and contractures)

In excessive healing there is too much accumulation of connective tissue that results in altered structure and, thus, loss of functionality. Fibrosis, structures, adhesions and contractures are examples of exaggerated healing. Keloids and hypertrophic scars in the skin are examples of fibrosis. Contraction is normal during the process of healing but if exaggerated, it becomes pathologic and is known as a contracture.

4. Deficient healing (chronic ulcers)

Deficient healing is the opposite of fibrosis; it exists when there is an abnormally low deposition of connective tissue matrix and the tissue is thinned to the point where it can fall apart. Persistent uncurable ulcers are examples of deficient healing.

The Skin's Natural Healing Process

When an injury occurs, a movement of different cells comes immediately and the complex healing process just begins in the moment it's happened.

The normal healing cascade begins with an orderly process of hemostasis and fibrin accumulation, which leads to an inflammatory cell cascade, characterized by neutrophils, macrophages and lymphocytes within the damaged tissues. This is followed by migration and synthesis of fibroblasts and collagen accumulation, and finally remodeling by collagen cross-linking and scar maturation. Despite this orderly sequence of steps responsible for normal wound repairing, pathologic reactions leading to fibrosis or chronic ulcers may happen if any step of the healing cascade is altered.

A new natural scar treatment is a promising solution for your acne scars. Follow these links to learn all about this biological method to avoid and treat scarring.