by Chidolue Stephanie
Scars means a lot to different people. It has many vast meanings but for the sake of this article we will have to narrow it down. So, what are scars? A scar according to the Merriam- Webster dictionary could be defined in four ways
- A mark remaining (as on the skin) after an injury has been healed.
- A mark left where something was previously attached.
- A mark or indentation (as on furniture) resulting from damage or wear.
- A lasting moral or emotional injury.
Other scholarly articles have revealed that scars could also be defined in many other ways that we are unfamiliar with. This article will deal mainly with two types of scars as it appeals to humans.
- The physical scars
- The emotional scars.
A physical scar as described by Wikipedia is an area of fibrous tissue that replaces normal skin after an injury. Physical scars are very common. Wounds are normal and inevitable parts of our lives. While some wounds heal completely some wounds do not and this gives rise to scars.
FORMS OF PHYSICAL SCARS:
Physical scars have different significances and cannot just be described as merely healings from wounds. In different parts of Nigeria, physical scars have been used by the people to recognize their own people and this form of physical scars are popularly called tribal marks. This form of physical scars can be seen among the Yorubas and the Igalas. It is also practiced among other tribes in Nigeria. Others believe that the scars connect them to their past and tells tales of the journeys that they have gone through and have overcome. Physical scars may also leave a nasty effect of low self-esteem.
Medically speaking, the Free dictionary describes scar as a manifestation of the skin’s healing process. Scar tissues may replace injured skin and underlying muscles, damaged heart muscles, or diseased area of internal organs of the liver. Scars can be gotten from cuts, sores, surgery and burns.
EMOTIONAL SCARS:
Emotional scars are scars gotten from a past memory or experience that tends to be painful or traumatic to the individual involved. Human beings at some point in their lives tend to have experiences which leave them emotionally scarred. There are different forms of emotional scars and also people are scarred emotionally based on their different ideas on what they find wrong. For this reason it would be wrong to name just a few incidences and classify it as emotional scars. Emotional scarring may occur as a result of the following events
- Child abuse
- Divorce
- violence in marriages
- Sexual assaults
All the aforementioned may form different scars for different people.
HOW CAN THIS SCAR BE TREATED?
Physical scars occur as a result of the body’s response to an injury or a wound. This process occurs through different mechanisms that can be summarized as hemostasis. While emotional scars take longer time to heal and depends on the person involved. Emotional scars can be healed but it generally depends on the individual and his or her ability to handle the situation. It can be recommended for people who cannot get rid of their emotional scars by themselves to visit a therapist.
WHICH SCARS SHOULD WE BE TAKING MORE NOTE OF?
Physical scars may persist for a while but will heal eventually but emotional scars are more deadly and they tend to affect the state of mind and functioning capability of an individual. Therefore, emotional scars should be monitored closely.
DO SCARS LEAVE?
Some physical scars leave completely while some may leave a mark until the person dies. People also tend to learn how to survive with their emotional scars if the emotional scars were properly handled.
HOW DOES ONE LIVE WITH THEM?
Physical scars may persist but will heal eventually. The pain that comes with it also goes away. But the scars it leaves may not look so nice and can cause low self-esteem. It is there for advised that a person with such a scar should always remind him or herself that the scars do not define them. The person should remember that he or she can carry out their daily activities just fine with the scars.
Emotional, scars can be harder to live with. The person has to constantly become aware of the scars and try to live above it. He or she has to constantly fight the urge to sink into depression. It is expected of the person to see a therapist. The person should try not to isolate him or herself and should try as much as possible not to thick too much or overthink. The person should also fill his or her thought with positive ideas.
By Chidolue Stephanie, 300l Medicine and Surgery
