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"  Q: I got a doozy of a cut, and I don&amp;#039;t want it to scar. Help! THE PLASTIC SURGEON SAYS: &amp;quot;To treat a fresh wound, clean it with mild soap and water. Don&amp;#039;t use hydrogen peroxide or any treatment containing alcohol--both kill bacteria, but they also zap the healthy cells that repair skin, which makes you more likely to scar. Also, never apply vitamin E to an open cut--it slows healing.&amp;quot; Instead, use a medicated ointment such as Neosporin or Bacitracin, then slap on a Band-Aid. &amp;quot;Do this for four or five days, until the cut seals over.&amp;quot; Once a scab forms, bring out the vitamin E. &amp;quot;At night, squeeze on a capsule&amp;#039;s worth and massage it in. This stimulates blood flow to speed up healing, and studies suggest it may also help skin grow back more evenly.&amp;quot; Keep this up for about three months, then be patient. &amp;quot;It can take a year for any raised or discolored skin to disappear. If that doesn&amp;#039;t happen, a dermatologist can shrink a thick, puffy scar with a steroid injection for about $250.&amp;quot; --Anthony LaBruna, M.D., a clinical associate professor of plastic surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City THE DERMATOLOGIST SAYS: &amp;quot;If the cut is on your face or neck, don&amp;#039;t use any skin-care products containing retinoids, such as retinol and Retin-A, or any exfoliants until it&amp;#039;s healed. And regardless of where your scab is, don&amp;#039;t scrub or pick at it, which can leave a scar.&amp;quot; Let it fall off naturally, then treat the skin with ScarAway Silicone Scar Sheets, $19.99 for 8, or, for your face, ScarAway Scar Diminishing Serum (below), $17.99. &amp;quot;Both contain a silicone that hydrates and repairs scar tissue, which, in turn, softens and fades the mark; they also help relieve itching. If you have medium or dark skin, be sure to also protect the area from the sun, which can make discoloration worse.&amp;quot; If at any point your cut swells, crusts, or starts to ooze, see your doctor. &amp;quot;When left untreated, infected cuts are more prone to scarring.&amp;quot; --Jeffrey Dover, M.D., an associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, CT THE MAKEUP ARTIST SAYS: &amp;quot;To hide a cut on your face, neck, or chest, wait until it scabs or closes up before putting makeup on it (otherwise it can get infected). Once that happens, you&amp;#039;ll need a thick, full-coverage concealer, which typically comes in a stick or pot, to help cover it.&amp;quot; (Try Dermablend Quick-Fix Concealer, right, $23.) First, find the closest match to your skin tone, then fine-tune. &amp;quot;If the cut is red around the edges, pick a yellow-y concealer to counteract the redness. If it&amp;#039;s more brown, go with a peachy color.&amp;quot; Then, to camouflage the scab, use a tiny concealer brush to carefully dab just around the edges. &amp;quot;On the top, dust a tinted loose powder to take down the discoloration.&amp;quot; --Fatima Thomas, a senior makeup artist for MAC Cosmetics who has worked with Alicia Keys and Mary J. Blige "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.redbookmag.com/beauty/makeup-skincare/advice/a14294/prevent-scarring/>