How To Get Rid Of Self Harm Scars

By: Danni Peck

Updated January 26, 2021

Medically Reviewed By: Sonya Bruner

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It can be difficult to learn coping skills that will allow you to stop engaging in self-harm. However, it is possible with hard work, dedication, and practice. And once you have learned these coping skills, you are on the road to mental and emotional healing. If you are in the process of learning to cope with emotions that have previously led to self-harming behaviors, please give yourself credit for taking a positive step forward. Healing takes courage, and you are being courageous!

As much as you're working on internal healing, though, you may wonder how to achieve physical healing from past self-harm injuries. For some individuals, self-harm scars can be harsh reminders of painful times and make it harder to recover emotionally. Finding ways to make scars less visible can be an important part of the process of moving forward. This is a typical feeling and is nothing to be ashamed of. If you are concerned with the visibility of your scars from self-harming behaviors, you may find the following information about reducing the appearance of scars to be helpful.

How To Quickly Minimize The Appearance Of Scars

It may be useful to note some unique features of scar tissue before considering how to conceal it. An unfortunate truth is that many scars are difficult to eliminate entirely. When human skin sustains an injury, the scar that forms is made of slightly different tissue than the surrounding area. Scar tissue may not grow hair follicles, may react differently to light and UV rays, and may feel slightly different than unscarred tissue. For these reasons, many over-the-counter and prescription scar lessening treatments take a lot of time and consistent usage to help scars heal and fade, especially older scars.

You can also use natural scar treatments, like coconut oil or olive oil, for healing new scars to make them less noticeable. For scars that are reddish or brown, lemon juice may also help them to fade, even if they are older. Cocoa butter is another natural option that is often used to minimize the appearance of postpartum scarring and stretch marks. Additionally, you might consider utilizing essential oils to reduce the appearance of scars. Oils such as rosehip seed oil, Vitamin E oil, and almond oil may be beneficial.

Be sure to consult your physician or dermatologist prior to beginning any new skin care regimen, particularly when it comes to scars. Even if you don't think you have any allergies, there is always the potential for an allergic reaction.

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All of the above treatments are gradual, meaning they may take several months to work, and even then, they may not be fully effective in getting rid of visible scars entirely. Another option may be surgery, though it is not an ideal solution. Multiple surgeries may be needed to reduce the appearance of scars and may involve skin grafts or scar revision; you may end up with different scars instead of no scars, and changes to skin tissues will occur from surgery-related injuries just as they do from self-harm. Additionally, surgery to reduce the appearance of scars may be expensive and may not be covered by health insurance. If you are interested in pursuing surgery, you should research your healthcare plan's coverage details first.

The third option for dealing with scars quickly is to cover them up. You can cover your scars temporarily and inexpensively or pursue pricier, more permanent options.

Wear Clothes Or Accessories That Cover Scars

If your scars make you feel self-conscious or remind you of painful times that you are putting behind you, then you can quickly put them out of sight, albeit temporarily, with a few modifications to your wardrobe. Clothing with long sleeves, scarves, and accessories like bracelets and wristwatches all add to an ensemble while making it possible to cover scarred areas.

Not wanting to see your scars or share them with others doesn't mean that you have to miss out on an active lifestyle. For example, if you are going swimming, you can wear a modestly cut suit with built-in sleeves or shorts, a cover-up over your bathing suit, or a rash guard (swim shirt). All of these have become more popular among swimmers everywhere in recent years, so styles to fit every body type and budget are available, and you won't stick out from the crowd if you choose to wear swim clothes with more coverage. A bonus of these styles is that they also naturally provide greater protection against sunburn and UV radiation.

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Use Makeup Over The Scars

You can cover up scars on any part of your body with concealer, foundation, or concealing powder made for your face. This can reduce the appearance of your scars when clothing doesn't cover them. However, makeup may fade throughout the day if it gets wet or if you perspire. Using a makeup primer can help keep it from smudging or running. For a waterproof option, you can purchase tattoo concealer, which is made to fully cover tattoos and is less likely to rub off.

For longer-lasting coverage, consider using makeup that is specifically made for theater actors. This makeup is created to withstand the heat from spotlights on the stage and the heat and sweat from the actors with minimal rubbing off. Specialty cosmetic stores usually carry a variety of brands and shades of theater-ready cosmetics, so you should be able to find the correct shade for your skin tone. If you do not have access to these stores or would prefer not to shop in person, several stores online sell this type of makeup as well.

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Get A Tattoo Over The Scar

If you are open to the idea of getting a tattoo to cover your scars, then doing so may be the most cost-effective and permanent option over time. A tattoo costs more upfront than makeup or scar minimizing treatments, but you will not need to make additional payments or purchases after the initial cost. Pricing for tattoos depends on your geographical location, the size and complexity of the design you would like, the placement of your tattoo, and other variables. You can work together with a reputable tattoo artist with experience in covering scars to come up with a design that fits into your wishes and your budget.

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Take your time both in choosing the tattoo design that you will feel content with in the long term and in selecting a tattoo artist to provide you with a safe, sanitary, stylistically appropriate experience. Friends and family may offer input on your tattoo design, but the final decision is yours. Consider colors and fonts, if applicable, and sketch out designs on your own or with the help of your tattoo artist. A qualified artist should work in a clean shop, be able to describe the processes of sanitization and tattoo aftercare to prevent infection, and open all single-use instruments, such as tattoo needles, in your presence.

If you feel at all uncomfortable in a tattoo shop, you have every right to get up and leave. If you have decided to get a tattoo, especially one to mark your healing, then you deserve to receive it from a qualified professional who makes you as comfortable as possible. That said, keep in mind that tattooing over scar tissue may be more painful than over unscarred skin, though this is usually more severe for large or deep scars that do not lie flat against your skin.

Moving On With Support

If you have experienced self-harming behaviors in the past, you may have shared your experiences with others or kept them to yourself. A readiness to move on from your scars is a great step in your physical healing process, and you deserve to support your recovery through emotional healing, too. Even if you think you cannot yet share the details of past self-harm experiences with your loved ones, you are not alone. Many individuals who have endured through self-harm behaviors have found talk therapy with a qualified mental health professional to be a positive source of support and healing. The objectivity and empathy of a skilled third party can help you process your experiences so that you can move on from them. Fortunately, online therapy services like BetterHelp have made treatment more accessible than ever.

Online therapy has several particular advantages over in-person services for anyone in need of flexible, confidential support. Because you can arrange your sessions with a therapist around your schedule and lifestyle, you can keep the entire process as private as you wish; you can work with a therapist at BetterHelp on your schedule, by video chat, phone call, email, or text messaging. And if you'd like more evidence, consider these reviews from BetterHelp users who have worked with online therapists to process their emotional experiences:

Rebecca has been incredibly wonderful from day one of this process. She has been understanding and supportive and helped me break through a fog of depression and self-hatred that I had been stuck in for nearly a decade. For the first time in a very long time I am hopeful and excited about my future. I am more comfortable setting boundaries and prioritizing my needs, and she has helped me to challenge and dismantle the negative ideas and thoughts I have held about myself since childhood. Each session with Rebecca brings a bit more clarity and understanding, which I'm indescribably grateful for. https://www.betterhelp.com/rebecca-zeleny/

I have found great healing from the support and guidance Cecilia has provided. Her kindness, patience, acceptance, intuition, nurturing spirit and ability to listen well has been a great catalyst In my desire for deep growth and change. I have had bad experience in the past with therapy and was very nervous to start. I am so grateful BetterHelp paired me with her. She has completely changed my view of how therapy should look. I have a long way to go but am much less intimidated by the process now. If you have any fear towards the difficult process of growth and healing, I absolutely recommend her!

Conclusion

If you are in the process of learning to cope with emotional struggles without self-harming, then you have already taken one of the hardest steps toward healing. Give yourself kindness and patience as you continue on your journey; try to remember that minimizing the physical reminders is only one step along the way, but it is an important one. Consider reaching out to a professional therapist for guidance throughout your healing process.