Q: Why do scars get bumpy?

Answer:

Your body is smart! It produces scars to help heal areas when they are damaged. A scar closes your wound so that it doesn’t open up and become infected.

Scar tissue is a different type of tissue than actual skin tissue. Scars are made up of connective tissue and cells called fibroblasts. Fibroblasts are responsible for repairing damaged skin tissue.

Scar tissue forms more rapidly in some people and in some areas than others. The appearance of the scar depends on many factors...like the size and location of the wound. A large wound has a higher chance of developing bumpy areas. A wound in an area of the body with a lot of movement, like on the arm, can also form bumps. A wound under a lot of tension or pull can also form bumps. Also, some people are genetically prone to developing thick, bumpy scars called hypertrophic scars or keloids.

Dr. Dori Hunt, Dermatologist

Activities:

Look It Up!

• genetic(ally)
• prone

Find It!

In today’s Herald-Sun, find the Healthy Living section. Select an article that discusses a medical fact that you feel would be interesting to share with your class. How many students selected the same article? Make a graph charting your classmates’ selection.