We compared the efficacy of silicone gel (Scarfade), silicone gel sheet (Epi-Derm), and topical onion extract including heparin and allantoin (Contractubex) for the treatment of hypertrophic scars. Forty-five postburn scars were included in the study. Patients with scars less than 6 months from injury were assigned at random to three groups each containing 15 scars, and their treatment was cont...

Previous research suggests that in hypertrophic scars (HSs), an excess of microvessels is present compared with normotrophic scars (NSs). The aim of our study was to quantify vascular densities in HSs and normotrophic scars and to provide an insight into the kinetics of changes in the expression of angiogenic factors in time during wound healing and HS formation. Human presternal wound healing ...

BACKGROUND Self-inflicted skin ulcers and scars are often observed in patients with compulsive skin picking. The term "neurotic excoriation" has been used to describe this condition and may or may not coexist with other true skin pathologies, such as acne. The condition poses a diagnostic and treatment challenge because patients often also have an undiagnosed underlying psychologic disorder. ...

BACKGROUND Keloid scars are common cutaneous lesions encountered by plastic surgeons. They are distinguished from normal scars and hypertrophic scars by their ability to spread outside the boundaries of the original scar. Corticosteroids are a mainstay of treatment, and their effectiveness is thought to be due to the inhibition of fibroblast growth and the promotion of collagen degradation. The...

Management of hypertrophic and keloid scars can be difficult. This article presents an initial report on use of a glycerin-based gel sheeting to manage or prevent these scars. The results were comparable to those achieved with silicone sheeting, a typical treatment. Clinically, the glycerin-based sheeting was well tolerated, appeared to be effective, and was less expensive than the silicone she...

OBJECTIVE Flash lamp pulsed dye laser (FPDL) was used in a selected group of patients with hypertrophic scars and keloids. Objective of the study was to assess the efficacy on a large number of cases. BACKGROUND DATA FPDL is a nonablative technology, typically used in vascular malformation therapy because of its specificity for hemoglobin. METHODS A total of 59 patients (33 males and 26 fem...

To detect the expression pattern of c-Jun in human hypertrophic scars and investigate its role in regulation of cell proliferation and apoptosis in fibroblasts and its underlying action mechanism. In this study, we examined the expression of c-Jun in hypertrophic scars and fibroblasts using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis and investigated the functiona...

Keloids and hypertrophic scars are both abnormal wound responses in predisposed individuals but they differ in that keloids extend beyond the original wound and almost never regress, while hypertrophic scars remain within the original wound and tend to regress. How keloids grow is not totally clear because there is no animal model; in fact, keloids affect only humans. Different injuries can res...

OBJECTIVE To determine the effectiveness of treating scars with microporous paper tape or silicone gel sheeting (SGS) in preventing hypertrophic scarring. METHODS Forty hypertrophic scars were induced in a validated rabbit ear model. Wounds were randomized and bandaged for 30 days with either SGS (20 wounds), paper tape (20 wounds), or untreated controls (40 wounds). Two outcome measures of h...

The authors recommend this brachioplasty technique for patients who have lost a significant amount of weight. The sinusoidal-shaped scar helps to avoid problems such as linear scar contracture, wound tension, and widened or hypertrophic scars.