Removing Self-Harm Hesitation Wound Marks and Wrist Scars

You may have heard that depression, self-harm, and suicide are increasing due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, self-harm scars (hesitation scars) are not easy to hide, and if traces remain, they are often difficult to erase. Self-harm scars are conspicuous due to their unique shape and location, making active treatment more important than for any other scar. Today, we will learn more about effective treatments for self-harm scars.

Self-harm scars are traces of self-inflicted wounds, commonly observed on exposed areas such as wrists, forearms, neck, and thighs. Medically, they are called Hesitation Scars, and they often involve repeatedly cutting the same area with a sharp object, exhibiting the following characteristics:

• Multiple thin, long scars are clustered parallel in one area.
• They are usually white and conspicuous, which is particularly problematic when on exposed areas like the wrist.
• In addition to white, they can also appear red or raised above the skin surface as hypertrophic scars or keloid scars.

Generally, scar treatment can be divided into surgical and non-surgical methods. Surgical treatment can help reduce the size of scars, but in areas like the wrist, secondary scars from surgery can be more noticeable, leading to cosmetically undesirable results. Especially if you have a keloid skin type or are prone to scarring, there is a possibility that the scar may worsen after surgery. Therefore, it is crucial to consult sufficiently with a dermatologist before deciding on surgery.

Non-surgical methods are primarily chosen for self-harm scar treatment. Among them, Pinhole Technique laser is known as an effective treatment for scar improvement.

The Pinhole Technique uses a fractional laser to finely cut long scars, correcting the unique shape of self-harm scars. The core of the treatment is to create deep and dense micro-holes in the scar area to induce skin regeneration, making the scar appear similar to the surrounding healthy skin.

Although it varies depending on the depth and extent of the scar, treatment usually involves 10 to 20 or more sessions, once every one to two months. Reports indicate that long-term treatment of self-harm scars with the Pinhole Technique showed a high improvement rate of about 70%, and the procedure involves less pain, resulting in a relatively low treatment burden and high satisfaction.

Self-harm scars can also appear red or in keloid form, not just white. For such scars, combining customized treatment methods is effective.

• Red scars: If the scar area appears red due to excessive blood vessel formation, V-beam laser can be used to suppress blood vessel formation and partially prevent scarring.
• Raised scars (hypertrophic scars, keloid scars): Scars that are raised due to excessive proliferation of skin tissue during the skin regeneration process can achieve even better results when combined with low-pain injection therapy, which has excellent effects in flattening the raised areas.

There are a few things to keep in mind during self-harm scar treatment.

• No re-attempting self-harm during treatment: If self-harm is attempted again during treatment, the wounds can become deeper and wider, making treatment much more difficult. This not only leads to increased treatment costs but also hinders the effectiveness of scar improvement.
• Realistic expectations: It is difficult for self-harm scar treatment to completely eliminate scars 100% or perfectly restore the skin to its pre-self-harm state. However, the goal is to make the scars less noticeable, or to improve them enough to be sufficiently covered with light makeup. The more consistently you receive treatment, the higher the improvement rate, so it is important to be patient and follow the dermatologist's treatment plan.
• Avoid alcohol: It is advisable to refrain from alcohol during treatment. Excessive alcohol consumption can not only slow down skin regeneration but also increase the risk of re-attempting self-harm and worsening the scar area, so it must be avoided.

We have discussed self-harm scar treatment methods. We understand that it takes great courage to reveal and treat self-harm scars. Many people try to treat scars on their own to hide them, but this is often insufficient.