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Scar Causes
Scar Causes
Scars form when the skin's deepest and thickest layer (the dermis) is damaged. The body sends a protein, collagen, in for repairs — leading to tissue with a different quality and texture.
There are several types of scars:
- Keloid: Sometimes the healing process is overly aggressive, leading to scarring that goes beyond the initial injury site. This can restrict movement, and is more common among people with darker skin.
- Hypertrophic: These scars are similar to keloids but stay at the injury site. They are red and raised — from the body producing too much collagen.
- Pitted: When supporting substances like collagen, fat or muscle are lost, pitted scars can form. This happens with some cases of severe acne and after some injuries. (Learn more about acne scars or our acne scar treatment.)