# How can I heal this burn? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 15, 2004, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-heal-this-burn/245287 "2004-05-15T16:15:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2004, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-heal-this-burn/245287/1 "2004-05-15T16:15:41Z")
I have a mark left from a somewhat nasty burn I got several months ago. It looks like a big freckle now but I’m worried that it might never fully go away. I’ve been using vitamin E lotion regularly, is there anything else that might speed the healing process? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2004, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-heal-this-burn/245287/2 "2004-05-15T16:27:54Z")
Time only, my friend. It might take months, even years, but it should fade eventually. I had very bad burns on the back of my right hand from hot bacon grease, and it took several years before it faded to the point where it was nearly invisible. Even now nearly 25 years later, I can still see traces of it, but only because I know exactly where to look. If you have the money and are _really_ concerned about the look, you can consult a dermatologist, who may be able to perform one of various lightening procedures on it. ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2004, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-heal-this-burn/245287/3 "2004-05-15T17:43:34Z")
On the shelves of the local pharmacy, next to the self-adhesive bandages\* and topical ointments, I have recently seen packages of a product that is being marketed to remove or reduce scar tissue. I have no idea how well they work. (I presume that they have _some_ limited effect since they appear to have gotten past the FDA). You might read the instructions on one of those and, if it claims to work on burns, give it a try. . - aka Band-Aids® if manufactured and distributed by Johnson & Johnson. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2004, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-heal-this-burn/245287/4 "2004-05-15T18:51:46Z")
> [@dnooman](#): > > I have a mark left from a somewhat nasty burn I got several months ago. It looks like a big freckle now but I’m worried that it might never fully go away. I’ve been using vitamin E lotion regularly, is there anything else that might speed the healing process? It will go away in six or seven years ---
**Author:** ![tygerbryght](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a9a28c/32.png) [@tygerbryght](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tygerbryght)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2004, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-can-i-heal-this-burn/245287/5 "2004-05-15T21:05:12Z")
> [@dnooman](#): > > I have a mark left from a somewhat nasty burn I got several months ago. It looks like a big freckle now but I’m worried that it might never fully go away. I’ve been using vitamin E lotion regularly, is there anything else that might speed the healing process? If this were a new wound, you could take a vitamin A caplet (8,000 IU) daily in addition to your multivitamin for about 10 days (max 3 weeks). Extra “A” internally, combined with “E” on the injury, combine to speed healing drastically, and the “A” is very good at reducing the scarring. However, at this point, it wouldn’t help much, if any. **Caution** : Vitamin A is one of the fat-soluble vitamins (translation=excess amounts are _NOT_ excreted). It is not recommended to take “A” in addition to a multivitamin for long periods. Although most people can tolerate up to 20,000 IU daily for a long while, you (whoever you may be) don’t know if you’re one of them. And it has been established that \>10,000 IU per day during the first trimester of pregnancy can be harmful to the fetus (neural tube deformities).