What are the different kinds of scars?
A. Most scars are flat and pale. However, in cases when the body produces too much collagen, scars can be raised (i.e., higher than the surrounding skin). Raised scars are called hypertrophic scars or keloid scars. Both of these kinds of scars are more common in younger and dark-skinned people. Some scars can have a sunken or pitted appearance. This kind of scarring occurs when underlying structures supporting the skin (i.e., fat or muscle) are lost. Some surgical scars have this appearance, as do some scars from acne. Scars also can appear as stretched skin. Such scars result when the skin stretches rapidly (i.e., as in growth spurts or during pregnancy). In addition, this type of scar can occur when the skin is under tension (near a joint, for example) during the healing process.
