How to Look After Healing Wounds, Scabs and Scars (and Simple Products That Can Help)

Written By Chim Gupte
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Minor wounds, grazes and surgical scars are part of life, especially if you’re active. In this article, Professor Chinmay Gupte explains how to care for healing skin, when to seek medical help, and which simple, easily available products and supplements may support comfortable recovery and better-looking scars.

How to Look After Healing Wounds, Scabs and Scars

(and some simple products that can help)

Minor wounds, grazes, surgical incisions and scars are part of life – especially if you enjoy sport or have had an operation. The way you look after the skin in the first few weeks and months has a big impact on how comfortably it heals and how the scar looks in the long term.

In this article I’ll go through:

  • Simple principles for looking after healing skin

  • When to seek medical help

  • Examples of over-the-counter products that many patients find useful

  • Supplements that may support general tissue, bone and joint health

All of the product examples below are easily available on the UK high street or online, and I’ve asked my team to list them (or close equivalents) on our OmKneeHealth shop for convenience. We have no financial affiliation with the brands mentioned beyond standard retail margins, and you can absolutely choose any equivalent products you prefer.

The basics: how to help skin heal well

Whatever the cause of the wound – a fall, a sports injury or surgery – the core principles are similar:

1. Follow your clinician’s instructions

If you’ve had an operation or stitches, the specific advice from your surgeon or practice nurse always comes first. Their instructions should override anything you read online.

2. Keep it clean – but don’t over-scrub

Once you’ve been told it’s safe to wash the area, use lukewarm water and a gentle cleanser. Avoid:

  • Very hot water

  • Harsh soaps

  • Vigorous rubbing or scrubbing

Think “gentle rinse and pat dry”, not “polish it clean”.

3. Avoid picking scabs

Scabs are the body’s natural “biological dressing”. Picking them off early:

  • Delays healing

  • Increases infection risk

  • Can worsen scarring

If a scab is catching on clothing, ask your clinician about protective dressings rather than picking it off.

4. Keep the area slightly moist, not dry and cracked

Modern wound care usually favours a moist (not wet) environment once the surface has closed. This can:

  • Reduce tightness and itching

  • Help prevent cracking

  • Make the area less uncomfortable when moving

This is where barrier creams, balms and ointments (see below) can be helpful.

5. Protect from friction and sun

Repeated rubbing from clothes, straps on a brace or sports kit, and UV exposure from the sun, can both worsen scar appearance.

Once healed:

  • Use clothing or soft dressings to reduce friction

  • Use high-factor sunscreen on scars that are exposed

  • Avoid sunbeds and intense direct sun to fresh scars

6. Support your body from the inside

Good skin and scar healing also depends on what’s happening in the rest of the body. Helpful foundations include:

  • Adequate protein intake

  • Enough vitamin D

  • Sufficient vitamin C for collagen formation

  • Healthy intake of omega-3 fats

  • Not smoking

Supplements can sometimes help (see section 4), but they sit on top of – not instead of – a good diet and lifestyle.

When should you seek medical help?

Even with the best home care, some wounds need professional assessment.

Contact your GP, urgent care service or surgeon if you notice:

  • Increasing redness, heat or swelling spreading away from the wound

  • Pus, foul-smelling discharge or rapidly increasing pain

  • Fever or feeling generally unwell

  • Wound edges pulling apart

  • Bleeding that doesn’t stop with direct pressure

The products below are not a substitute for proper medical care. Think of them as supportive tools once the wound is clean, stable and (in most cases) closed.

Products that may help healing, scabs and irritated skin

You do not have to buy special creams to heal well. But many patients ask for specific examples that are:

  • Easy to find

  • Not overly expensive

  • Reasonably evidence-aligned / skin-barrier friendly

The products below are ones I’m happy for patients to use on intact or nearly-healed skin (not fresh, open wounds unless a clinician has advised this).

Where possible, we will also list these (or near-equivalents) on the OmKneeHealth Shopify store so you can find them in one place.

We have no sponsorship or special affiliation with these companies.

3A. Soothing balms and barrier creams

Once the skin surface has closed, a barrier-supporting product can help with dryness, tightness and irritation around healing areas.

Cica repairing multi-balm

A handy multi-balm stick you can apply to dry, irritated or post-procedure areas once they’ve closed.

Ceramide barrier-repair cream

Ceramides are “building blocks” of the skin barrier. A ceramide cream can help calm tight, reactive skin during healing.

Rich barrier ointment for cracks and fissures

For very dry, cracked areas (heels, fingertips, fissured skin), a thicker ointment is often more comfortable.

How to use these:

  • Apply a thin layer once or twice daily to clean, dry, intact skin

  • Avoid fresh, open wounds unless a clinician has said otherwise

  • Stop if you experience burning, rash or worsening irritation and seek advice

3B. Gentle cleansing: shower oil for sensitive skin

Traditional foaming body washes can strip oils from the skin and increase dryness around healing areas. A shower oil cleanses more gently.

Tips:

  • Use lukewarm (not hot) water

  • Clean the area by hand rather than with a rough flannel

  • Pat dry with a clean towel instead of rubbing

This is particularly useful if you’re having to wash scars or healing skin every day.

3C. Silicone scar tape – for later scar care

Once a wound is fully healed and completely closed, medical-grade silicone can help improve the appearance of scars over time. It can:

How to use (typical guidance – always follow your product leaflet and clinician’s advice):

  • Cut to fit the scar and apply to clean, dry skin

  • Wear for many hours a day (often 12–24 hours), removing for cleaning as advised

  • Reuse each piece until it loses its stickiness, then replace

  • Continue for several weeks to months for best results

Always confirm with your surgeon or clinician that it’s safe to start silicone on your specific scar – especially after recent surgery.

Supplements that may support healing, bone and joint health

No supplement replaces:

  • Good nutrition

  • Appropriate exercise / rehab for your stage of recovery

  • Medical treatment where needed

However, certain nutrients do play an important role in skin, bone and joint health, and many people are deficient – particularly in vitamin D.

If you have any medical conditions or take regular medication, check with your GP, pharmacist or specialist before starting new supplements.

4A. Vitamin D3 with K2 (spray)

Vitamin D is vital for:

  • Bone health

  • Muscle function

  • Immune support

Many people in the UK are low, especially with:

  • Darker skin

  • Minimal sun exposure

  • Indoor lifestyles

Vitamin K2 is often paired with D3 to support calcium handling.

A spray format is convenient and well-tolerated for most patients.

4B. Omega-3 (EPA/DHA – fish oil)

Omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) support:

  • Cardiovascular health

  • Brain function

  • Joint health and inflammation pathways

They can be particularly useful if you rarely eat oily fish.

Look for products that are purified and third-party tested for contaminants.

4C. Magnesium

Magnesium is involved in:

  • Muscle function

  • Nerve conduction

  • Energy production

Many patients find it helpful for muscle tension and sleep – both important for recovery.

Start with the lowest recommended dose and adjust as needed, watching for any digestive upset.

4D. Vitamin C (for collagen formation and wound healing)

Vitamin C is essential for collagen synthesis – the protein that forms the backbone of:

  • Skin

  • Ligaments

  • Tendons

  • Blood vessels

A liposomal formulation can improve absorption and reduce stomach upset in some people.

Aim to:

  • Take vitamin C with food

  • Combine with a diet rich in colourful fruits and vegetables

Take-home messages

  • Focus first on good basic wound care: cleanliness, not picking, gentle cleansing, and protecting the area.

  • Add simple barrier products and, later on, silicone scar tape if advised.

  • Support your body with good nutrition, adequate protein and key nutrients like vitamin D and vitamin C.

  • If pain, redness or discharge are worsening, seek medical attention promptly – don’t just add more creams.

If you’re one of my patients and you’re unsure whether a product is right for your specific wound or scar, please ask at your appointment or contact the clinic so we can tailor advice to you.

Chim Gupte
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