Daily advice
The skin has an incredible capacity to repair itself, but healing can be uncomfortable and even painful. Applying wound care cream helps foster a complete and optimised recovery. Perfect for an array of everyday situations.
A lesion is a mark on the skin either on the surface like a scratch or abrasion, or a deeper breach like a sore, a cut or a wound.
The skin is the body’s largest organ. It protects you from the outside world, acting as a shield against daily aggressions. But it’s also fragile. You can easily suffer from irritated skin as well as skin damage and even burning. The skin always repairs itself, but the process can be long with the risk of scarring – from acne scars to scars following surgery. How can you get rid of this scarring? It’s impossible once the scars are there, which is why it’s so important to prevent them appearing in the first place. A scar healing cream is an invaluable ally to helping the skin repair itself and limit the appearance of unwanted scarring.
Ouch! It hurts. It’s bleeding. It’s burned. It’s not always easy to know what to do when we hurt ourselves or damage our skin, especially given that not all lesions should be treated the same way. To help you know how to react, here’s our mini guide to using repairing cream.
You’ve cut your finger while cooking, scraped your knee falling off your bike, or superficially burned yourself while ironing. According to Julien Dupuy, pharmacist, ‘for cuts and scrapes, clean the wound carefully and apply repairing care when the bleeding has stopped, and the area is dry. Generally, it’s best to leave it in the open air. There’s no need for a plaster. If in doubt, always consult a healthcare professional. For burns, apply the repairing cream straight after the incident.
Touching or squeezing spots can lead to acne scars that are difficult to get rid of. Worst of all, these marks can pigment in the sun and become even harder to eliminate. The best way to get rid of acne scars is to avoid them in the first place! Apply a healing cream with an SPF as repairing care to damaged spots until the marks have completely disappeared. The SPF will protect the skin from the sun, preventing scar marks & hyperpigmentation.
Across the world, the Covid-19 pandemic has made wearing a mask a health must. But wearing one for long periods subjects the fragile skin on your face to increased pressure and can leave traces – including marks and rubbing behind the ears. What’s the best treatment for irritated skin? To prevent and relieve the consequences of this rubbing, apply scar healing cream 2 or 3 times a day on painful areas. Keep an eye on any changes in the damaged skin to avoid the risk of infection.
Regularly washing your hands or using sanitiser gel can also damage the skin leading to redness, cracking and splitting. Applying repairing cream can help make your skin more comfortable and heal more quickly. Also opt for a hand care sanitiser that respects & soothes your skin.
Before going to bed, apply a thick layer of healing cream on your damaged hand and then cover it with a cotton glove. Sleep with it like this all night. If only one of your fingers is damaged, create a protective layer using the same method.
Have you just got the tattoo of your dreams, permanent hair removal or make-up? What about a face peel or laser treatment? Given that these procedures make the skin weakened, they require adapted post-treatment care. Clean the area with water, gently dry it without rubbing and apply scar cream twice a day in line with any specific recommendations from your dermatologist, doctor, aesthetician or tattoo artist. If these lesions are exposed to the sun, for example on the face, choose a healing cream with a high level of sun protection to avoid the risk of hyperpigmentation.
If your kids are suffering from a red bottom (nappy rash), irritations around the mouth (peri-oral dermatitis), minor lip infections (angular cheilitis) or chickenpox scabs, repairing cream will help bring back a smile. Regularly applying repairing care soothes the skin and speeds up the healing process.
BIODERMA also offers specific cares for babies' skin problems:
- For nappy rash, apply our soothing & repairing cream: ABCDerm Change Intensif
- For irritations around the mouth, try our care that soothes, repairs and prevents irritations of the mouth area: ABCDerm Peri-Oral
First of all, clean the area with an antiseptic, as well as a product to dry out the spots and a disinfectant if any are infected. A few days later, when all the spots are dry and scabs have formed, use repairing cream to help the skin rebuild itself and become healthy again. An anti-itching prescription treatment can be recommended by your doctor.
Clean the area with water and soap. Dab dry well and then apply specific repairing care for nappy rash on any red areas. If the nappy rash starts to ooze alternate this repair cream with a drying spray.
After any kind of surgery, it’s important to follow appropriate post-operation care once you are home to optimise the healing process. If required, a nurse could visit to help take care of your recent scar. Generally, following a standard operation with no complications, these visits take place over a two- to three-week period.
Hygiene is essential. During my visits, I clean the wound with water and soap, or saline solution. We use antiseptic products less and less frequently as they can affect the skin’s microbiota. Yet cutaneous flora is very important to preserve the healing process.
Even if stitches or staples have been used, the nurse can still apply scar healing cream around the wound (on healthy, perilesional skin) to protect the skin – but not directly on the wound. Once the stitches have been removed and the edges of the wound have closed together, continue applying the repairing care. It is recommended to massage the scar to help minimise its visual aspect. If the scar is located on a joint, to consult a physiotherapist. Don’t touch the wound* or apply any repair care products without first consulting your doctor or nurse.
After an episiotomy or caesarean, the midwife will usually apply repairing cream in the maternity ward, and you should continue doing this once you’re at home. Healing can be very painful for young mothers. It is important to deal with this pain to help the skin heal properly and establish a close connection between mother and baby. The healing care will facilitate the transition to motherhood.
The mother will be encouraged to start moving around from day 1. If all goes well, the bandage will be removed the next day and targeted care applied. If the edges of the wound* have closed together, the midwife may apply scar healing cream.
Once at home, usually 4-5 days after the procedure, it’s recommended to clean the skin once a day with pH neutral, and then apply a repairing care product once or twice a day.
Depending on the mother’s physical and psychological state, she can start massaging the scar within 15 days, so that it’s less noticeable once fully healed. She should continue doing this while the scar remains red and/or uncomfortable. The healing process can be long and take up to 2 years.
The mother will once again be encouraged to start moving around, often within 2 hours of the birth. Healing cream will be applied straight away. The midwife may also recommend contract & relax exercises to mobilise the perineal area. Once home, it’s important to clean the intimate area with gentle soap and massage the scar either doing it yourself or with the help of the midwife or the physiotherapist.
Camille Tallet, midwife, recommends applying a drop of milk on the nipple and massaging it in. If this is insufficient, clean the area and apply repairing care to create a moist environment that encourages healing before putting your bra back on. Just remember to clean it off before the next feed.
Managing pain after birth is essential. The wound healing process mustn’t hurt, it is very important for the mother well-being.
For more information about massaging scar, consult our "What's the best way to help damaged skin repair itself" article.
Two essential conditions:
Two must-have precautions to optimise healing :
*Wound closed with stitches or staples
Irritated damaged skin
Antalgicine™ technology
Both repairing and soothing cream.
For all the family (except prematures)
Weakened sensitive skin exposed to the sun
Antalgicine™ technology
The very high sun protection repairing cream that prevents scar marks & hyperpigmentation.
For all the family (except prematures)
Specific care babies' and children
Amylpriv™ patent
The skincare that soothes, repairs and prevents irritations of the mouth area.
Children, Babies
