Chickenpox is a highly contagious disease that causes itchy blisters all over the body. According to the Boston Children's Hospital, people who have never had chicken have a 90% of getting infected if they are living in the same house as someone with chickenpox, shared Boston Children's Hospital.
You may have heard that you should never scratch chickenpox blisters as they can leave behind depressed scars. As per a study by the Iran University of Medical Sciences (UMC), reports show that 18% of patients get chickenpox scars. To understand the causes, precautions, and treatment of chickenpox scars, the team of OnlyMyHealth spoke to Dr G Manmohan, Senior Consultant Dermatologist, Apollo Hospitals, Hyderguda.
What Causes Chickenpox Scars?
Chickenpox is a viral infection that causes blisters on the skin, which compromise the skin barrier, explained Dr Manmohan.
"As this damaged barrier repairs itself the collagen or elastin fibres that were destroyed due to the inflammatory process should be remade, the deficit of which leads to a scar formation," she added.
Also Read: Why Chickenpox Only Happens Once In A Lifetime? Expert Answers
The UMC study states that chickenpox scars are different from other scars, yet there are no reviews on the same.
Chickenpox Scar Prevention And Treatment
*Avoiding further damage to the virus-affected blisters is the best way of minimising scars," shared Dr Manmohan. He listed:
- Avoid scratching
- Avoid rubbing the lesions
- Avoid bacterial contamination by keeping clean, wear loose clothing
- Use medication provided by the dermatologist to reduce the severity of the symptoms.
"Several medical and procedural treatments are available for the betterment of the appearance of chicken pox scars," stated Dr Manmohan.
Also Read: Chickenpox Home Remedies: Here's How To Use Neem to Treat Chickenpox
"Various creams, lasers, peels, and minor surgical procedures are available to address the issue. However chickenpox scars happen to be a challenging cosmetic problem that necessitates a combination of various treatments," concluded Dr Manmohan.
In conclusion, chickenpox scars are a pesky issue that may not affect the majority of the population but does cover significant numbers. According to experts, employing prevention techniques is the best option to prevent acne. However, if these scars do develop, many surgical and cosmetic procedures have been scientifically verified to be able to treat and reverse chickenpox scars.
