Book 10, Question 122
Why Do Scars Fade Over Time But Never Disappear?
Scars fade over time but never fully disappear because scar tissue is built differently from normal skin. It is made of tough collagen fibers in a different pattern. So a scar is a repair, not an exact copy.
More fun facts
- Collagen in your skin is made by cells called fibroblasts.
- When skin is wounded, new fibroblasts make scar collagen, which is different from normal skin collagen.
- Skin cells die and get replaced, but scar collagen stays, so scars last.
- In normal skin, collagen has a cross weave pattern, but in scars it lines up in parallel.
- Before birth, wounds can heal without scars because the skin makes a different kind of collagen.
- A scar can take years to fade, and doctors can help make one less noticeable.
Sources: Scientific American, BBC, Smithsonian Magazine
Questions kids ask
Why do scars last when skin cells keep changing?
Skin cells get replaced, but the scar collagen stays in place.