Hypertrophic Scars and Keloids
What is a Scar?
A scar occurs when a deep enough injury to the skin or long enough (time) injury to the skin occurs. This can happen in many ways. The end result is an area of skin that is less pliable, can lack hair, and even have symptoms.
I had an injury or recent surgery will I have a scar?
Development of a permanent scar depends on the patient’s genetics, the age of the patient, the depth of the injury, and the duration of the injury (how long it takes to heal). Nearly every surgery will lead to a scar, the appearance of which depends on the above factors and the placement of the incision.
Can a scar have symptoms?
Yes, absolutely. It is not uncommon to experience: pain, itch, redness, dysesthesias (such as loss of sensation, burning sensation, tingling, altered sense of touch), increased or decreased sweating, increased hair, decreased or lack of hair. Restricted or contracted movements can also result from scars. Many treatments exist for these symptoms.
What are the treatments for scars?
There are many treatments from watch and wait, moisturizers, scar camouflage, scar massage, silicone gels/sheets, topicals steroids, injections, lasers, surgery, and even radiation. The treatment of a scar is individualized to the type of scar, the specific patient, and their goals
For more information please follow the link to the AAD website below.
Source: America Academy of Dermatology (https://www.aad.org/public/cosmetic/scars-stretch-marks)
For Physicians only (or patients of Dr. Contestable) “Scars – Patient Handout”