Do babies scar?

[wencit]

DS2 took a header off a swing a couple weeks ago and landed face first in gravel (yes, you can nominate me for Worst Mom of the Year). His chin was bloody and scraped up for a few days -- nothing major enough to go to the ER or even the doctor's office. Once his scabs started peeling away, I noticed the skin was pink underneath. Does this mean he will have a scar there forever, or will the skin eventually peel and even out in skin tone?

Thanks in advance.

[misshollygolightly]

DS got a similar injury on his face when he was roughly that age. We bought some Mederma and followed the directions on it (I forget exactly how old he was, but he was old enough to use the stuff according to the directions on the Mederma package). We faithfully applied it twice a day, and now the scar is completely gone. I don't know if it would have healed so nicely if we hadn't used the Mederma. One thing about Mederma: you can't use it until after the wound has closed. Hope that helps!

[elephantmeg]

DS did the same thing and looked fine shortly after. With no mederma. I may have used abx ointment on it, may not have. It's been a long time!

[JBaxter]

Nathan had stitches in his forehead at about 18 months. It looks like a small white line now at age 6 1/2

[luckytwenty]

Ready for someone to steal that worst mom award from you??

When my son was about 5 months old, I fastened him into his baby swing and accidentally pinched the skin on his belly with the clip. There was no broken skin (a LOT of crying though, more me, I think) but he still has a little mark on his tummy where it happened.

[MoJo]

I still have a scar from an incision made when I was two weeks old . . . and DD#1 has a scar on her foot from pulling a hot iron onto it over a year ago. So, yes.

[hillview]

I don't think that will scar. A stitches sort of cut would create a small scar.
/hillary

[pantone292]

I think it should heal just fine. We talked to a friend who is a pediatric derm after DS fell at a playground and the recommendation was to use Mederma or Aquaphor 2x a day and to apply lots and lots of sunscreen if we were going to be outside. The key is to keep the scrapes moist and out of the sun. Unless there is an infection or a risk of infection abx ointments are not recommended bc they are harsh on the skin. They don't help with the healing.

[DrSally]

I think it should be fine. If it's just pink and not a divot (DD has a permanent poc mark from molluscum on her forehead. She also has a small scar from falling on a sidewalk and scraping up the backs of her hands. I would make sure there's sunscreen on it b/c the new skin can get scarred from exposure to the sun. I carry a neutrogena baby sunscreen stick and put it on whatever newly healed areas the kids happen to have when we're out and about. It's heavy duty, thick protection.

[SpaceGal]

It doesn't sound like it was anything crazy like a gash or totally open wound...it should go away over time. Sunscreen and moisturize. When DS1 had surgery, the doctor told us the scarring would all depend on his genetics, if he was one to scar easily or not, but that was major surgery. If it's a scrape I think it will go away in time.

[bostonsmama]

It should fade to skin-tone (all mine have), but more likely you'll see no evidence of it as years pass. Deep cuts, stitches and incisions will stick around, though. I have few scars from childhood on me--I can count them on one hand--and they were bad/memorable, but all flesh toned and hardly visible at all!

[BabyH]

Babies have very rapid cell turnover. Bacitractin is great to use - OTC, too.

[DrSally]

It doesn't sound like it was anything crazy like a gash or totally open wound...it should go away over time. Sunscreen and moisturize. When DS1 had surgery, the doctor told us the scarring would all depend on his genetics, if he was one to scar easily or not, but that was major surgery. If it's a scrape I think it will go away in time.

That's true about the individual differences in scaring. I have darker skin, and tend to scar more easily (even from scratches or light acne).

[Wondermom]

I have darker skin, and tend to scar more easily

I've done some internet research on this before for myself, not for baby(FWIW), and it seems that those who tan easily (have more skin pigmentation), are more prone to scaring, or have a harder time getting scars to fade. The key is to keep the "new" skin from sun exposure, or to use sunscreen.