How to Prevent and Treat Chicken Pox Scars.

Chicken pox is a common infectious disease of childhood. It is highly contagious and usually mild, except when complications occur or when experienced in adulthood. This illness is brought about by an infection with the variclla zoster virus (VZV) through either airborne means or direct contact with an infected person. The disease is contagious for about ten days, beginning with the day the rash appears. Upon exposure to VZV, the body produces a host of antibodies that persist for life and can later cause an exacerbation of a viral infection called shingles.

Those most susceptible to chicken pox are children 12 and under. That said, adults do have the possibility of contraction. It starts out as a red, itchy skin rash that generally will first appear on the face, back, or abdomen. After three to five days, the rash will evolve into crops of small red bumps that have the appearance of insect bites. It could proliferate throughout the body as thin walled blisters at this stage reaching the mouth, ears, nose, scalp, and genitals. The danger is when the wall of these blisters break open. Then there are open sores that are highly susceptible to infection. Eventually, provided there is no infection, the open sores form a crust that covers them. Within two weeks time, the scab will fall off completely. The threat is that they will leave behind a crater like scar.

In addition, the flu like symptoms of fever, coughing, and headaches are part of this illness. Ultimately the worst complications one could suffer from chicken pox are bacterial infections and pneumonia.

It is important when treating this illness to stay at home to avoid spreading it through contagion. In addition, it is important to not scratch at the pock marks. This helps ward off skin disfigurations of deeper scars and blisters.

Chicken pox has an incubation period of 2-3 weeks from the time of exposure to the appearance of a rash. The infection is first characterized by fever, loss of appetite, headache, backache and listlessness. After a day or so, sprinkling of red spots appear on the chest and back, spreading outward to the arms and legs. The spots will soon enlarge and turn into blisters surrounded by patches of red blotchy skin.

The blisters become pustules in which the clear fluid turns yellow. The scabs that form begin to peel off in anywhere from 5-20 days. The blisters do not appear all at once but in batches on different parts of the body. After they appear, the person experiences intense and uncomfortable itchiness. Scratching can result in some scarring if not very careful during the illness.

Want to learn how to prevent chicken pox scars?

Tip #1: Use topical lotion.

When the blisters appear and the itching begins, you can ask your doctor to prescribe a topical lotion or an ointment that can help alleviate the irritation. The topical lotions or ointments that are usually prescribed are those ones that contain starch or calamine-based because they are efficient in relieving the inflammation.

Tip #2:  Scratching is a no-no.

It is extremely important that you should stay away from scratching the affected areas. The removal of scabs before complete healing of the skin beneath them can lead to secondary infection and permanent scarring or pitting.

Tip #3: Cut your nails (and wear protective gloves)

It may be helpful to cut your nails very short or to wear cotton gloves so that you will not damage your skin while you are sleeping. This will prevent you from scratching chicken pox.

Tip 4: Make your beddings clean.

It is important that you should maintain the freshness and cleanliness of the bed linens during the illness to make sure that there will be no further contributing factors to the irritation.

Tip 5: Bathe or use cool wet compress.

Use cool wet compress or bathe the person with chicken pox in either cool or tepid water every three or four hours during the initial days of the disease. It will not hurt to take a bath during this period.

Tip #6: Use vitamin E or honey.

Rub the affected area with vitamin E oil or honey and consume foods loaded with vitamin K during the illness to avoid extreme scabbing and irritation.

Tip #7:  Wash the scabs.

Maintain the cleanliness of the scabs by washing them with salt water or applying a small amount of liquid colloidal silver to lessen the danger of chicken pox scarring. It is vital that you should maintain the cleanliness of the skin all throughout the days that the chicken pox virus is still there so as not to build up contamination to the wounds. If the skin is always clean, there will be less itching and you will not most likely develop chicken pox scars.

The bottom line in avoiding chicken pox scars is to maintain skin cleanliness and avoid extreme scratching during the illness. You should also follow the tips mentioned in this page for scar prevention.