SCRATCH MARK HAS TURNED DARK
QI have a scar on my face after my friend accidentally scratched me. I used a simple antibiotic cream but the scar is now turned dark. Please help.
AI suspect that the dark scar you have described is most likely suggesting a diagnosis of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation resulting from the skin injury.
It is highly unlikely that a fingernail scratch could have been that deep into the skin which has ended up damaging the dermis (the thick deeper layer of skin), and causing a scar. Fingernail scratches usually cause superficial epidermal abrasions and do not leave true scars. However, the resulting dark pigmentary blemishes on the affected area of the skin can sometimes appear to the common eye like a scar. This condition is most commonly seen in Asians, particularly individuals from the subcontinent.
A detailed dermatological examination is needed to prescribe a proper course of treatment. For now, you can get a prescription from your GP of a mixture consisting of 4% hydroquinone with 0.1% tretinoin and 1 % hydrocortisone, mixed in equal proportions (known as Kligman’s Formulation).
It should be applied as a thin layer on the dark pigmented area of your face at night, a couple of hours before retiring to bed.
Avoid excessive sun exposure and use of a high SPF sunscreen will help enhance the positive results of the treatment.