Challenges of social, physical, and family conditions may cause stressful situations. There is a coping mechanism to deal with these scenarios, depending on the behavioral traits. And inflicting harm upon oneself is one such mechanism. Self-harm scars are a result of these self-inflicted injuries.
Getting Rid of Self-Harm Scars
Self-harm is difficult to diagnose as there are no special tests to detect self-harming behavior. The doctor may suggest evaluating mental health parameters to know if the individual is also suffering from other disorders.
Self-harming tendencies can accompany personality disorders or depression. A psychologist can prescribe psychological tests or request one to fill in questionnaires for an in-depth evaluation.
Therapy for self-harming may include several forms of treatment, as there is no single and the most effective treatment for self-harming. Doctors consider multiple aspects of a patient’s personality besides social and family upbringing to determine ways to treat self-harming.
One must have the desire to recover from the self-harming behavior to ensure that the treatment to get rid of self-harm scars works effectively. Strong support of the family members plays a vital role in creating an appropriate environment for recovery.
Talking can also work as a stress reliever. Focusing on the root cause instead of the physical signs is a better strategy. It does not mean that you should neglect injuries. Treating the wounds should be the first step.
What are Self-Harm Scars?
A self-harm scar is nothing but a coping mechanism. The intention to inflict harm on oneself is similar to suicidal thoughts. Physically harming oneself is often a way of alleviating emotional stress.
The following self-injuries are common in such situations:
- Inflicting burn injuries
- Carving the skin
- Pinching or scratching vigorously
- Cutting the skin
- Consuming poisonous or toxic substances
The primary purpose of self-harm is to get some relief or respite from the distress. Self-harming behavior can take the form of a cycle that starts with one getting some relief from a stressful situation by self-harming, followed by a sense of guilt. The self-harm cycle may repeat if one does not address the root cause of such behavior.
We should understand that self-harming is an individual’s way of dealing with an emotional problem. There is a myth that people who self-harm are seeking attention. However, people who self-harm hide their injuries, which may become apparent during a routine medical examination.
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How Anxiety and Distress Lead to Self-Injury
Self-injury is an all-pervasive issue because it occurs across cultural and educational backgrounds, age groups, sexes, and religions. It is purely a behavioral issue because the person uses self-harming as a temporary respite from extreme anxiety or distress.
People also resort to self-harming to deal with numbness that may be because of emotional turmoil. It also explains why some individuals hardly experience any pain while inflicting injury to them.
Self-harming tendencies can also reflect a person’s rebellious attitude. People may injure themselves because of self-hatred.
It may also result if an individual cannot manage anxiety and stressful situations and seeks a sense of relief through self-injury. Such relief is temporary, and there is a rebound of anxiety and distress after some time.
How to Get Rid of Self-Harm Scars Fast
Self-harm or self-mutilation scars are reminders of a terrible period of life.
Makeup can conceal the scars within no time, but the solution is temporary. Flesh-colored stickers are also helpful to hide these blemishes.
Most options to get rid of self-harm scars involve medical intervention. Some of the treatment options are cryosurgery, corticosteroid injectable, skin grafting, or radiation therapy.
You can consider silicone as a non-medical treatment for faster relief from self-harm scars. Silicone is available as strips or gel to heal scars by covering them.
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Banani Das Dhar
India
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Experience: 7 years
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India
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Experience: 15 years
Tattooing over Self-Harm Scars to Cover Them Up
Due to the permanent nature of tattoos, tattooing over self-harm scars is a good choice if you are looking for a long-lasting solution to cover them. However, the tattoos may not offer complete coverage to the wounds if there is permanent damage to the skin’s texture during the healing process.
The latest developments in cosmetology offer camouflage tattooing. It is a more satisfying solution to get rid of self-harm scars. The advanced technique is suitable for several skin tones and involves multiple sessions for the best results. Camouflage tattoos can be more successful in covering self-harm scars.
Laser Treatment
Laser treatment for self-harm scars addresses most of the shortcomings of other cosmetic options. One can achieve a long-term improvement in the color and texture of the self-harm scar with laser treatment. Laser treatment for self-harm scars aims at uniform growth of the skin.
There are several types of laser treatments that offer satisfactory outcomes to minimize the appearance of superficial scars. Doctors can choose from various laser types and wavelengths of laser energy to achieve the desired effect. They can adjust the laser to target a specific depth of the skin. One can consider more intensive laser treatment for treating deeper scars.
Counseling and Therapy for Self-Injury
Many individuals do not want to discuss emotional issues or distressing events with parents or family members. They may be afraid of being judged, punished, or being given the cold shoulder. Professional counseling can help if you think the person is not ready to talk about the problem.
Counseling is a balanced and non-judgmental approach for an in-depth understanding of the behavioral pattern and addressing the root cause. Expert counselors can employ helpful strategies that can offer a better coping mechanism.
Psychotherapy involves talk therapy and aims to:
- Detect and manage root causes and triggers for self-injuries
- Educate the patient to regulate emotions
- Help the individual enhance their self-image
- Educate the person regarding social skills and relationship improvement strategies
- Improve the ability to develop a healthy coping mechanism
Counseling is an ideal approach as it helps understand the background of events causing an individual to resort to self-harm. Do not consider counseling as a sign of surrendering to the problem. It is an effective way to detect unusual behavior and find the right approach to manage distressing events.
Seeking Professional Help for Self Harming
An individual need not deal with the distressful situation all alone. There is help at hand. Professional counseling and other psychotherapies are effective ways of treating self-harming behavior. United We Care is a unique mental health platform where one can access licensed counselors and therapists and seek help.
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