The Student Room Group

How long do scars take to fade?

I have a lot of white scars on my leg (from SH) that have been there for about 7 years. They have faded by are still quite visible and very slightly raised. Do all scars fade eventually or might these be for life? I've had them for so long I'd have thought they'd be gone by now.

Disclaimer: I put this in general health because it's about the skins healing process rather than the reason the scars are there.
Reply 1
It all depends on how deep the wound was and how looked after the wound/scab was when it was fresh.
Reply 2
Have you looked at bio-oil?
Reply 3
Some are there for life sadly. A lot depends on what Nyar said, I have a few from 3-4 years ago that while not red anymore are still quite prominent.
Reply 4
Original post by Idle
Some are there for life sadly. A lot depends on what Nyar said, I have a few from 3-4 years ago that while not red anymore are still quite prominent.


Most of mine have faded completely since they weren't deep and i looked after them.

However the ones which I picked during the healing process are still visible.
Reply 5
I have one from 19 years ago that I will never get rid of :sad:
As a previous poster has said, some scars never fade completely.

Have you looked in to getting cosmetic surgery to remove them? Depending on how bad they are, there are a variety of different options; from having a surgeon lazer them off, to having an operation. It's often available free on the NHS to people who've suffered from MH problems, so try asking your GP :h:
Reply 7
I heard that if you put aloe vera gel on the scars then it can fade them? I do a lot of bmxong and mtb so I have numerous scars from where I've come off, and my friends mum suggested it to me...I'm too lazy to try it though because I think it has to be over a long period of time xD

Posted from TSR Mobile
I have scars that aren't raised from sh and they are long but not very deep, I've had them for years. If it bothers you a lot you can get surgery that removes scars. I'm looking to get scar removal on my stretch marks but not my sh scars because my scars are a reminder of what I've came through and I shouldn't be embarrassed that I struggled at certain points in my life. Each to there own. But they could be there for life sadly. Try bio-oil first or go to a chemist and see what he suggests.
Reply 9
Original post by EarthsDaughter
I have scars that aren't raised from sh and they are long but not very deep, I've had them for years. If it bothers you a lot you can get surgery that removes scars. I'm looking to get scar removal on my stretch marks but not my sh scars because my scars are a reminder of what I've came through and I shouldn't be embarrassed that I struggled at certain points in my life. Each to there own. But they could be there for life sadly. Try bio-oil first or go to a chemist and see what he suggests.


Hmm I didn't know they could be removed. There's a lot of them though about 60-70, mostly quite faint but some are thick and white. I don't really mind having them but I just hate it when people ask about them as I feel it's not part of my life anymore... If that makes sense!

I've tried bio oil before and it didn't make a difference tbh.
Reply 10
I've a few on my body since childhood (not from SH), but Im rather proud of them :smile: each has a story behind it, they're my battle scars and I shall keep them forever!
(edited 10 years ago)
I understand about people asking. I mean right years down the line and in still doing it!

Yeah you can but not many clinics do it, it's something worth looking up to see if anywhere does it near you and you can get a free consultation. Then you can get the most obvious ones removed.

I'm not surprised about bio oil to be fair. But don't not use a cream. Try using something like Shea or coco butter to at least hydrate the skin (which is what I'm doing) and see if it makes a difference. Take a photo of your scars before using the cream so if there's even a slight difference you'd be able to tell.

And good luck x
Reply 12
Original post by Anonymous
I have a lot of white scars on my leg (from SH) that have been there for about 7 years. They have faded by are still quite visible and very slightly raised. Do all scars fade eventually or might these be for life? I've had them for so long I'd have thought they'd be gone by now.

Disclaimer: I put this in general health because it's about the skins healing process rather than the reason the scars are there.


The most important thing about scars isn't how prominent they are, but what your attitude to them is. Back in the 1970's I lived in a shared house in Cambridge with a German guy who had a significantly disfiguring scar across his cheek. I don't know whether it was true or not, but he told us he got it in a duel when he was an undergraduate at Heidelberg. That was enough to make it a plus-point for him, even if it wasn't true!

Probably, the best advice is just to forget about scars completely. When I was in my early teens, I cut one of my hands to the bone while fitting some old-fashioned metal-strip draught-proofing for my mum. I remember thinking in my mid-teens that no-one could possibly love someone with such obvious scars. Now, at age 60, the scars have disappeared completely. More importantly, I don't remember ever thinking of them after about the age of 15. I just forgot about them until last year, when I saw people on TSR wondering whether such scars would ruin their life.
(edited 10 years ago)
Personally, I think that with SH scars they appear more prominent and visible to you because of what they are and why they're there. I have scars that I'm convinced everybody notices when in reality people don't know they're there until I tell them! It obviously depends on your situation of course but bio-oil and stuff like that might be worth a try but I've never tried it out so I couldn't tell you if they're worth it! Good luck, and if you find something be sure to let me know


Posted from TSR Mobile
It depends on how long the scar is, where the scar is, how deep the scar is and you're own body. Some people heal quicker than others.
Reply 15
I does depend on how big/deep the wound was and it could also depend on how strong your immune system is as some people can take longer to heal than others. also some scars can be there for life, I have a scar on my eyebrow from 13 years ago which has faded a lot but is still visible if I look carefully. most scars do fade over time though.
I have scars on my face as a result of acne. After almost a month of using dermalmd scar serum my scars are fading and not as visible as before. They are not completely gone but now I feel more confident going out without makeup on.
I have scars from cat scratches and they have been there for a while I don’t know what to do they are quite visible and I wear long clothing to cover them what should I do? Xx
Original post by Elishahensby07
I have scars from cat scratches and they have been there for a while I don’t know what to do they are quite visible and I wear long clothing to cover them what should I do? Xx


Why do you cover cat scratches? Have you asked your doctor? How long have they been there?

Quick Reply