Burn Scar Treatment

 Types of Burn Scars

Depending on the seriousness of the burn, depth of the injury and injury location, burns can cause one of these types of scars:

• Hypertrophic scars are red or purple, and raised. They may feel warm to the touch and itchy.
• Keloid scars form shiny, hairless bumps.
• Contracture scars tighten the skin, muscles, and tendons, and make it harder for you to move.

When to seek treatment for burn scars

The psychological impact of serious burn scars can be very traumatic for some patients.  Patients with contracture scarring may have severely restricted range of motion.  And some patients wish to have small burn scars removed for purely cosmetic reasons.

Whatever the reason, it is important to understand that early laser intervention can help to prevent serious burn scars from developing in the first place.  On the other hand, even old burn scars can be significantly diminished with modern therapies. Surgery can provide great relief for those suffering from contracture burn scars.

 How procedure is performed

To determine the best course of treatment, the specifics of the scar need to be considered, including thickness, age of scar, location, and skin type.

First-line treatment will often include topical creams, injectables and laser therapies. Fractional laser skin resurfacing treatments can be used to improve burn scarring by stimulating the skin to repair itself.  Each treatment stimulates the regeneration of deeper collagen and elastin tissue, while resurfacing about 20% of the skin’s surface. Your body’s own natural healing process accelerates the production of new collagen and healthy skin cells.

Surgery is sometimes necessary for serious scarring or burn scars that do not respond to first-line therapy.  Dr. Sproule is a fully-qualified plastic surgeon who specializes in scar repair and reconstructive surgery.