Emedinews:Insights on MEdicolegal Issues:How is the age of a scar determined by doctor?

• A scar is produced from the healing of wound made of fibrous tissue covered by epithelium without hair follicles, pigment.
• The scars are bluish and reddish in the first week and look like angry face of an extremely fair complexion boy; they are also called angry scars.
• In the second week, the scar is soft and sensitive on touch and looks pale. It remains so for about two months however its softness and sensitivity decrease.
• After approximately two months and up to six months, the scar looks white and glistening; however, the softness changes to harder and harder and finally wrinkled
• The shape of scar almost remains permanent and indicates the nature of weapon that caused the injury in majority of cases
• As per IPC if a person is disfigured due to scar it becomes a grievous injury.
• Bullet injuries causes mostly circular depressed scar seen in medicolegal cases.