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It's because the repair process works from the bottom up

A couple of sites agree as to why scars are permanent, but here's the clearest explanation I found:

Unfortunately, many times when our skin is wounded, the cut isn't clean, the healing conditions are not ideal and we end up with a scar. "Evolution has selected for scarring," says Dr. John Newman, a cosmetic surgeon and researcher at the Laser Center of Virginia in Virginia Beach. "Scarring is the result of a system that has learned to respond extremely quickly to a wound."

When the skin is split open, the body immediately starts to pull the edges of the wound together. It does this by growing epithelial tissue over the open wound at the rate of approximately 1 millimeter every 24 hours. Fibroblasts (special collagen-producing cells found in the dermis, the second layer of skin) then rush into the wounded tissue and start laying down collagen to strengthen the skin.

Normally, fibroblasts produce an organized lattice of collagen that is very strong, but when in emergency-response mode, they respond by laying down collagen in a very unorganized, haphazard way. "It is kind of like nailing down a crisscross of two-by-fours over a hole in a deck," says Newman. "It seals the hole, but it doesn't look very nice."

He explains that "a scar is actually a bunch of unorganized collagen in the dermal layer of the skin." Over time, the tissue will try to reorganize, and the scar may appear to soften, but the skin may never completely return to its original state - particularly if the cut extends beyond the epidermis, the skin's outer layer.

HOW REGENERATION WORKS

Skin cells regenerate from the bottom up, with a turnover time of roughly one month. "You can think of the epidermis (the top layer of skin that you see) as a staircase," says Newman, "where the bottom stair is the base of the epidermis and the top stair is exposed to the air." New epidermal cells are formed by cell division at the bottom of the staircase. To make room for these new cells, the older epidermal cells are pushed upward toward the top of the staircase. The oldest cells die and fall off.

The genetic material, or DNA, within any cell does not generally change, so the cells that are dividing on the bottom stairs are transmitting the same genetic characteristics from one generation of cells to the next. Unfortunately, if these characteristics are of scar tissue, that is what will be regenerated. And regardless of how much epithelial regeneration occurs above it, the scar can still show.

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βˆ™ 12y ago
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βˆ™ 6mo ago

Scars form when the body creates collagen fibers to quickly repair damaged skin. While our cells do regenerate over time, the healing process of scars is different, leading to the scar tissue remaining even as cells regenerate.

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Q: Why do scars remain if the body replaces its cells every 7 years?
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What are abscission scars?

Abscission scars are marks or scars left on the stems or branches of plants after leaves, flowers, or fruits have fallen off. They are formed when a protective layer of cells called the abscission zone breaks down and separates the plant part from the rest of the plant. These scars can be used to determine the age of a plant and can also give clues about its growth patterns.


What is a Scar that result from overproduction of collagen?

A hypertrophic scar is a raised, red, and sometimes itchy scar that forms when there is an overproduction of collagen during the wound healing process. These scars usually remain within the boundaries of the original wound.


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You can tell your cells are working by observing signs of growth, reproduction, repair, and energy production in the body. These processes include cell division, protein synthesis, and ATP synthesis, which are indicative of cellular activity and functioning. If your body is maintaining homeostasis and responding to stimuli appropriately, it's a good sign that your cells are working effectively.


Describe a scar in anatomical language?

A scar is a mark left on the skin after a wound or injury has healed. It is composed of fibrous tissue that replaces normal skin tissue. Scars can vary in size, shape, and color depending on the type and severity of the original injury.


Can alum powder used treating keloids scars?

Alum powder is not a recommended treatment for keloid scars. Keloid scars are best managed by a dermatologist who may suggest treatments like corticosteroid injections, silicone gel sheets, or surgical removal. It is important to consult with a medical professional for proper evaluation and treatment options for keloid scars.

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Does picking scabs cause skin cancer?

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The heart is an organ that cannot regenerate or repair itself very well. When heart cells are damaged or die, they are replaced by scar tissue rather than new healthy heart muscle cells.


If your skin replaces itself every 24 hours why do scars stay?

Skin does not replace itself every 24 hours, it is replaces itself every 28 days, and for older people, it takes much longer of that to happen. However, this is only half the story, the skin is consisted of two layers, the dermis and the epidermis, the dermis is the lower skin layer, while the epidermis is the upper layer of the skin that you see when you look in the mirror. The epidermis is the one that take about 28 days to be replaced by a new layer, while the dermis takes roughly about 15 years to replace only half of it's contents. When you get a wound and your skin forms a scar, this scar is formed in the dermis layer, hence why a scar or a tattoo will stay a lifetime.


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