Yow - we've got very different ideas as to what is save-scumming, @TheRealFluent;! If you're just loading because you got wiped out and don't want to repeat a bunch of content, that's not save-scumming in my view. Save-scumming is a way to get around the random number generator or your own weak eye/hand coordination.
You could get through a battle that you're actually not good enough to deal with simply by saving the game after every lucky shot and re-loading when the dice are against you - then keep re-loading until the dice go your way. That's save-scumming: you're deliberately making the game easier by effectively removing the random numbers.
The dexterity version is basically the same thing. Back toward the end in the original Tomb Raider, I would save after every jump because I missed so often. Instead of getting good enough to make 5 jumps in a row, I abused the save system to make up for my weak skills.
If you're just going along and manage to get yourself defeated, though, that's just normal game playing. You're not trying to cheat, you're just playing the game.