Fifty-six billion dollars.
That’s what the global scar treatment market is expected to grow to by 2030 (up from $25 billion in 2022), according to Precedence Research.
A chunk of that is parked on the overcrowded shelf of over-the-counter lotions, ointments, creams and oils, all of which claim to make scars heal, lighten or vanish altogether, despite threadbare evidence to back up such lofty claims.
Experts suggest the nature of a scar determines the best course of treatment, which is why it’s important to work with qualified healthcare professionals to arrive at a plan. Medical history, skin type and the potential risks and benefits of every available treatment must all be considered.
Why do scars form?
“Scars are typically the result of the body's natural healing process after an external injury, surgery or skin conditions such as acne or chickenpox,” explains Dr Jaishree Sharad, celebrity cosmetic dermatologist and author of The Skincare Answer Book. “The body produces collagen fibres when we suffer from skin trauma such as burns, cuts or any other damage. These fibres form scars over the injured area as the skin repairs itself.
“Severe scars can be painful or even limit movement due to damaged tissue and might require extensive medical treatment to prevent complications and infections.”
Depending on the physiological appearance, dermatologists classify scars as atrophic, hypertrophic or keloidal. Dr Vimi Ponnamparambath, a specialist in dermatology and cosmetology at Aster Beauty Clinic in Dubai, says: “Atrophic scars mostly merge with your skin surface or are depressed below the skin surface. Scars that are above the skin surface are hypertrophic and keloidal scars are hypertrophic in appearance, but with the tendency to grow to the surrounding areas instead of staying contained to the site of the wound or infection.”
Home remedies for scars
As for the army of lotions and potions readily available in pharmacies made for use at home, Dr Ponnamparambath flatly says “they don’t work”.
“There is also no scientific evidence that home remedies such as honey, aloe vera or apple cider vinegar work on scars. Your skin might get better, which might make you think your scars are getting better. But apart from silicone gels and sheets, no other topical treatment available over the counter works. That’s the science.”
Sharad is more charitable. “They might reduce the appearance marginally, but cannot completely eliminate or make them vanish.”
Dr Kiran Sethi, medical director at Isya Aesthetics, adds: “Only if the scars are marks, and very light marks at that, but even marks often need prescription-strength creams.”
Sharad offers a checklist for at-home scar treatments: “Know your ingredients; look out for silicone, allantoin, allium cepa extract, heparin sodium and vitamin E in your products – they can aid in minimising thickened scars.
“Do your research, by looking up proof and results of clinical testing, reading contraindications, and following instructions carefully to avoid side effects.
“Finally, be realistic. The effectiveness of products will depend on the size, severity and location of the scar, as well as the individual's skin type,” Sharad says.
Expert-recommended scar treatments
All three doctors agree that, ultimately, scar treatment boils down to stimulating, regulating or rebalancing collagen levels, since collagen makes up 70 to 80 per cent of the skin and is responsible for its mechanical and structural integrity.
Here are some popular and effective treatments for scars.
Silicone sheets or gels: Regular application and use over a period of months will help to soften and compress scars by increasing the moisture of the scarred skin and regulating collagen production. This reduces discolouration, bumpiness and redness, and improves overall skin texture.
Laser therapy: It can be used to treat both atrophic and hypertrophic scars by targeting the scar tissue with concentrated light energy. This can help to break up the scar tissue and stimulate the regeneration of healthy skin cells. Pulsed dye lasers and fractionated CO2 laser resurfacing are two of the most popular treatments currently. However, Sethi warns: “Don’t pick a laser treatment if you have significant sun exposure.”
Microneedling: This involves using tiny needles to puncture the skin to trick the brain into producing collagen and, consequently, new skin cells to reduce the appearance of scars and improve overall skin texture.
Platelet-rich plasma therapy: PRP treatment involves processing the patient’s own blood to get a concentrate of platelets, which are them injected in the area of the scar. It helps with the healing process by stimulating collagen and providing the skin with important growth factors to repair wounds, improving the appearance of the scar. PRP is also often used as secondary therapy after the primary treatment in skin grafts and burns.
Dermal fillers: This cosmetic treatment involves injectables to improve the appearance of depressed scars caused by acne or injury by adding volume and smoothness to the skin so scars become less noticeable. Derma fillers might give instant results, but are not permanent and last only for a few months.
Surgery: The most invasive form of scar treatment is surgical scar revision, which entails tissue removal and skin repositioning. Sethi says: “Surgery can sometimes be worse than better because grafting is hard to do perfectly such that it looks natural. Also avoid anything invasive if you have a history of keloids or autoimmune conditions, and always undertake extensive testing before making a decision.”
Dr Ponnamparambath also adds a caveat for keloidal scars: “These are the most difficult to treat. As keloidal scars grow, they tend to compress the nerves and the patient often tends to suffer from intractable pain or itching. So treatment protocol such as lasers or microneedling won’t work. In keloids, there is an excessive growth of collagen, so we need to inject medications with steroids or methotrexate in the tissue to reduce the size of the lesion and the symptoms. Stay away from anyone recommending the same treatment for keloidal scars as hypertrophic or atrophic scars.”
Social media traps and cues
The reason the scar treatment industry is poised to grow is because most of us shudder at the mere mention of scars. New York-based beauty influencer Megha Singh, who shot to fame with her viral Normalizing Insecurities series of social media videos, says: “I made the one on scars because I have acne-prone skin and have struggled with scars in the past.
“All we see in the media is glowing, clear, poreless, ‘flawless’ skin. This has become the beauty standard worldwide for normal women to the point that scars can destroy self-image, particularly younger women, even though acne and acne scars are ridiculously common,” she says.
Perhaps we should take our cues from those who look at the scars on their body as an album of theatrical moments from a life well-lived. Over the years, the body may well paint a mosaic of our most daring and dodgy life decisions in the form of cloudy scar tissue peppered across its canvas.
The inch-long gnarly scar on the knee from a boating accident during a nervous date. The lifelong grin on the belly from the complicated C-section that brought a breech baby into the world. The faint scar tissue on the forehead from crashing into a glass table while playing catch indoors.
If Keanu Reeves, Kylie Jenner, Jason Momoa and Princess Eugenie all have stories to tell about accidents, childhood capers, bar brawls and life-saving surgeries behind their scars, why can’t you?
Honeymoonish
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Herc's Adventures
Developer: Big Ape Productions
Publisher: LucasArts
Console: PlayStation 1 & 5, Sega Saturn
Rating: 4/5
Need to know
When: October 17 until November 10
Cost: Entry is free but some events require prior registration
Where: Various locations including National Theatre (Abu Dhabi), Abu Dhabi Cultural Center, Zayed University Promenade, Beach Rotana (Abu Dhabi), Vox Cinemas at Yas Mall, Sharjah Youth Center
What: The Korea Festival will feature art exhibitions, a B-boy dance show, a mini K-pop concert, traditional dance and music performances, food tastings, a beauty seminar, and more.
For more information: www.koreafestivaluae.com
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
MATCH INFO
Euro 2020 qualifier
Croatia v Hungary, Thursday, 10.45pm, UAE
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
Gulf Under 19s final
Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B
Where to apply
Applicants should send their completed applications - CV, covering letter, sample(s) of your work, letter of recommendation - to Nick March, Assistant Editor in Chief at The National and UAE programme administrator for the Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism, by 5pm on April 30, 2020.
Please send applications to nmarch@thenational.ae and please mark the subject line as “Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism (UAE programme application)”.
The local advisory board will consider all applications and will interview a short list of candidates in Abu Dhabi in June 2020. Successful candidates will be informed before July 30, 2020.
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Usain Bolt's time for the 100m at major championships
2008 Beijing Olympics 9.69 seconds
2009 Berlin World Championships 9.58
2011 Daegu World Championships Disqualified
2012 London Olympics 9.63
2013 Moscow World Championships 9.77
2015 Beijing World Championships 9.79
2016 Rio Olympics 9.81
2017 London World Championships 9.95
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
Ashes 2019 schedule
August 1-5: First Test, Edgbaston
August 14-18: Second Test, Lord's
August 22-26: Third Test, Headingley
September 4-8: Fourth Test, Old Trafford
September 12-16: Fifth Test, Oval
No more lice
Defining head lice
Pediculus humanus capitis are tiny wingless insects that feed on blood from the human scalp. The adult head louse is up to 3mm long, has six legs, and is tan to greyish-white in colour. The female lives up to four weeks and, once mature, can lay up to 10 eggs per day. These tiny nits firmly attach to the base of the hair shaft, get incubated by body heat and hatch in eight days or so.
Identifying lice
Lice can be identified by itching or a tickling sensation of something moving within the hair. One can confirm that a person has lice by looking closely through the hair and scalp for nits, nymphs or lice. Head lice are most frequently located behind the ears and near the neckline.
Treating lice at home
Head lice must be treated as soon as they are spotted. Start by checking everyone in the family for them, then follow these steps. Remove and wash all clothing and bedding with hot water. Apply medicine according to the label instructions. If some live lice are still found eight to 12 hours after treatment, but are moving more slowly than before, do not re-treat. Comb dead and remaining live lice out of the hair using a fine-toothed comb.
After the initial treatment, check for, comb and remove nits and lice from hair every two to three days. Soak combs and brushes in hot water for 10 minutes.Vacuum the floor and furniture, particularly where the infested person sat or lay.
Courtesy Dr Vishal Rajmal Mehta, specialist paediatrics, RAK Hospital
Results
- Brock Lesnar retained the WWE Universal title against Roman Reigns
- Braun Strowman and Nicolas won the Raw Tag Team titles against Sheamus and Cesaro
- AJ Styles retained the WWE World Heavyweight title against Shinsuke Nakamura
- Nia Jax won the Raw Women’s title against Alexa Bliss
- Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon beat Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn
- The Undertaker beat John Cena
- The Bludgeon Brothers won the SmackDown Tag Team titles against the Usos and New Day
- Ronda Rousey and Kurt Angle beat Triple H and Stephanie McMahon
- Jinder Mahal won the United States title against Randy Orton, Rusev and Bobby Roode
- Charlotte retained the SmackDown Women’s title against Asuka
- Seth Rollins won the Intercontinental title against The Miz and Finn Balor
- Naomi won the first WrestleMania Women’s Battle Royal
- Cedric Alexander won the vacant Cruiserweight title against Mustafa Ali
- Matt Hardy won the Andre the Giant Battle Royal
Brief scores:
Arsenal 4
Xhaka 25', Lacazette 55', Ramsey 79', Aubameyang 83'
Fulham 1
Kamara 69'
SNAPSHOT
While Huawei did launch the first smartphone with a 50MP image sensor in its P40 series in 2020, Oppo in 2014 introduced the Find 7, which was capable of taking 50MP images: this was done using a combination of a 13MP sensor and software that resulted in shots seemingly taken from a 50MP camera.
GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
Profile
Company name: Jaib
Started: January 2018
Co-founders: Fouad Jeryes and Sinan Taifour
Based: Jordan
Sector: FinTech
Total transactions: over $800,000 since January, 2018
Investors in Jaib's mother company Alpha Apps: Aramex and 500 Startups
Electric scooters: some rules to remember
- Riders must be 14-years-old or over
- Wear a protective helmet
- Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
- Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
- Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
- Do not drive outside designated lanes
Jebel Ali Dragons 26 Bahrain 23
Dragons
Tries: Hayes, Richards, Cooper
Cons: Love
Pens: Love 3
Bahrain
Tries: Kenny, Crombie, Tantoh
Cons: Phillips
Pens: Phillips 2
Changing visa rules
For decades the UAE has granted two and three year visas to foreign workers, tied to their current employer. Now that's changing.
Last year, the UAE cabinet also approved providing 10-year visas to foreigners with investments in the UAE of at least Dh10 million, if non-real estate assets account for at least 60 per cent of the total. Investors can bring their spouses and children into the country.
It also approved five-year residency to owners of UAE real estate worth at least 5 million dirhams.
The government also said that leading academics, medical doctors, scientists, engineers and star students would be eligible for similar long-term visas, without the need for financial investments in the country.
The first batch - 20 finalists for the Mohammed bin Rashid Medal for Scientific Distinction.- were awarded in January and more are expected to follow.
Fanney Khan
Producer: T-Series, Anil Kapoor Productions, ROMP, Prerna Arora
Director: Atul Manjrekar
Cast: Anil Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai, Rajkummar Rao, Pihu Sand
Rating: 2/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Need to know
Unlike other mobile wallets and payment apps, a unique feature of eWallet is that there is no need to have a bank account, credit or debit card to do digital payments.
Customers only need a valid Emirates ID and a working UAE mobile number to register for eWallet account.
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CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
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SPECS
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Company%20Profile
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'My Son'
Director: Christian Carion
Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis
Rating: 2/5
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
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The%20Beekeeper
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More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
SERIES INFO
Afghanistan v Zimbabwe, Abu Dhabi Sunshine Series
All matches at the Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Test series
1st Test: Zimbabwe beat Afghanistan by 10 wickets
2nd Test: Wednesday, 10 March – Sunday, 14 March
Play starts at 9.30am
T20 series
1st T20I: Wednesday, 17 March
2nd T20I: Friday, 19 March
3rd T20I: Saturday, 20 March
TV
Supporters in the UAE can watch the matches on the Rabbithole channel on YouTube
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
