Why are scars permanent?

Scars are a natural part of the healing process of wounds in our body. Open wounds may occur due to damage to the skin as a result of trauma. With the blood clotting in the first stage of the wound healing process, bleeding stops. When the surface of the blood clot comes into contact with air, it hardens and a scab forms. Collagen protein is produced to repair damaged tissues. The initially healing area is swollen and red. Its color will fade over time -about two years- and bloating disappears. However, the healing wound usually looks different compared to other parts of the skin. Especially the scars of deep wounds are more prominent.

The dermis layer, which is located under the epidermis, the top layer of the skin, also consists largely of collagen protein. However, the structure of collagen produced to repair the wound is different from the structure of collagen in the skin. It is a collagen-like protein. Collagen strands in the skin are combined in an irregular structure. The collagen strands in the repaired wound are directed parallel to each other. The three-dimensional structure of collagen strands significantly affects the properties of the protein. For example, scars are sensitive to sun rays of ultraviolet wavelength.