Facial Burn Scar

[Mhossler]

Long story short, May of this year I had an "incident" with a campfire marshmallow and got a bad 1st degree burn on my left cheek (see first photo). After a few months it's healed very well, but I'm still VERY self conscious about it. I'm hoping with time I'll be able to get back to how my face used to look, but I was hoping someone could recommend SOMETHING to put on my face on a daily basis to help me feel more normal. The scar is really all I see... Any foundation, concealer, technique or other products that someone could recommend to me would be fantastic.

 Days after accidentPhoto taken 9/18

[DianaHuynh]

@Mhossler 

I actually got bit by a dog 1.5yrs ago. If theres any redness or raised skin. Using a silicon bandage I found helped reduce it. Your burn is definately barely noticable. It looks like you have a pinkness undertone and its just slight redness. Its suppse to take 1-2years for scars to fully heal 😭

Honestly, your always going to feel like you see it. 💔 Does get better with time.

I suggest making sure you keep the area clean and moisturized to help the healing process. My doctor recommended using vitamin C. Use the drug store capsules and poke with a sterilized needle. Dont get vitamin C creams as other stuff is added (rash from sunday riley C.E.O). You should ask your doctor if theres an products that might help.##

[milav]

Your before and after pictures are AMAZING! I honestly cannot see anything there anymore. I'm actually writing to ask how you healed your skin.... I have a very large burn on the side of my face from facial products (long story short, my dermatologist told me to use a combination of hydroquinone and tretinoin). 

How did you heal your burn so well??

[MissPuff]

@Mhossler If it's any consolation, the scar is barely noticeably (if I'm going to be honest, I wouldn't even see it if I wasn't looking for it via comparison) and you're looking lovely! But I know how you feel, when I've got a blemish, it's ALL I can see.

Healing/skincare-wise, oils with vitamin E will help the appearance and texture of the scar even more, but it does look like you're healing well. My go to's for skin health/texture/scars are Kiehl's Since 1851 Midnight Recovery Concentrate Moisturizing Face Oil 1 oz/ 30 ml and also fresh Seaberry Moisturizing Face Oil 1.6 oz/ 50 mL, both great oils for everyday use.

As far as make up goes, the red tones can be cancelled out by greenish primers before regular foundations/etc. I would definitely check out Dr. Jart+ Cicapair™ Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment SPF 30 1.7 fl. oz/ 50 mL. I love this stuff for covering acne and reddish bumps/scars, it's green in the tub but turns beige once on my skin. Feels nice and soothing too, depending on your skintone, you might get away with just using the color corrector alone. In the winter, I'm pale enough that I use it almost like a BB cream, in the summer, it layers nicely under my tinted moisturizer and powder. 

[tastelikewater]

@Mhossler Wow, I'm so sorry that something as seemingly innocuous as a marshmallow made such an impact. I imagine this is little comfort coming from a stranger, but it looks to be healing nicely, and I hope this is just a temporary setback. You might start with a primer to help smooth out any remaining inconsistencies in texture, and if you choose one that's color-correcting, that could also help with some of the redness. Clinique makes a green one and a yellow; I have rosacea, and personally prefer the yellow (Superprimer) because green can make me look sickly. 

As much as you want to cover it up, I would ignore the urge to go heavy on concealer and/or foundation, as you could inadvertently emphasize what you're trying to camouflage. A pat of concealer and BB cream or lighter coverage foundation to still feel like yourself. You also might consider playing up another feature, especially if you feel like everyone's eyes go to your scar - a punchy lip color, a more detailed eye than you might normally wear. I used to have bad acne, so I remember what it's like to only notice a flaw and think that everyone else is staring and judging. It was (and sometimes still is!) a struggle to remember that most people are so busy thinking about themselves that they don't actually notice much about others! In the meantime, until you're feeling more comfortable, I hope this will help. Wishing you a speedy recovery!

[makeitup305]

@Mhossler A cheap alternative is Maybelline Master Camo in Green and but I also like the Smashbox color correctors because they come in a pencil so they're easy to apply. As for fading the burn, I would recommend Rose Hip oil- organic and cold pressed is best. It's amazing to help skin heal. I've also used this cream (it's a Spanish brand so you'd have to find it online). It did wonders for my grandfather's skin, which was paper thin and prone to burns and tearing.

[Mhossler]

Thank you @makeitup305 ! I will look into the rose hip oil! 

[makeitup305]

@Mhossler The Ordinary carries it and I've also found it at Marshalls. It's usually not very expensive and totally worth it in my experience.

[TrysBeautyItems]

Yellow or green to reduce red. Clinique redness line is yellow based, Eucerin has a green moisturizer, IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness either the green based moisturizer - it's gel like and doesn't leave you green - or their redness cream used on the scar, or use all over, I like to stipple it on. Also the colored primer route. If you need coverage, but not a foundation, a CC would work too. @Mhossler

[Mhossler]

Are all of those options something that I'd put on overtop of a primer, I assume so? I have a great primer (No Poreblem, Touch in Sol) that I love already, but if I need to switch I will. 

And thank you for your help @TrysBeautyItems 🙂 

[TrysBeautyItems]

Just was naming different options. I'll go through my brain 🙂

Clinique, that line makes different products. Pick what you like.

Placing a green moisturizer just on that area, can help tone the pink/red down. Ecurin, IT Cosmetics some brands that have that.

IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Redness cream, is colored, can be used as foundation or just on the burn spot, can go over primer or under foundation. Don't need a concealer with this. Tiny bit of product goes along way.

Colored primer would be your primer, but you can use different primers at the same time, on different areas.

A CC or color correction, would be the foundation, may not need another colored product like primer or concealer. CCs come in different opaqueness.

From what I gather, your current primer/foundation pairing isn't providing enough coverage to that area. You need some type of color correction, on the burn spot, for your foundation to hide better. Color correction could be a number of ways, hence the above. What foundation do you use? @Mhossler

[Mhossler]

@TrysBeautyItems

My current Maybelline FIt Me matte foundation or a CC Cream (also Maybelline). Before this burn, I was really just a tinted moisturizer, mascara, little eyebrow filler & go kinda girl for my daily routine. Now I'm wanting/needing to put more effort in to help self confidence. 

[TrysBeautyItems]

Gotcha. I have some daily redness. Some days it's less for light coverage, others need a bit more...for the bit more days, I'll layer or IT COSMETICS - Bye Bye Redness™ Neutralizing Correcting Cream

For drugstore, Physicians Formula CC has decent coverage (in pic). The CC blur is very light coverage.

[fatimamummy]

@Mhossler  The scar looks red in color so I think using a green color corrector underneath your foundation (only on the red parts) will help conceal it nicely. In order to keep your corrector from moving when you apply foundation, 1st set your corrector with a tiny bit of translucent setting powder and leave it for a few minutes then apply foundation on top.

There are quite a few color correctors available at Sephora in various formulas and price range. You can choose one suitable for your skin type and intensity of coverage you want.

https://www.sephora.com/search?keyword=color%20corrector

[Mhossler]

Thank you @fatimamummy ! I appreciate your help!