This month we take a look at “hypertrophic scars” and their treatment. I don’t know about you, but I see a lot of these – thankfully, not in patients that I have operated on (and I will deal with why that is, in a future Research Review), but in others’ patients.
Many GPs send patients with hypertrophic scars to me, asking for my help. Word must be getting around…
This systematic review is very useful, and underpins my approach to these patients. In short, the most effective treatment (in a practical, day-to-day sense) is a combination of silicon sheet on the scar plus weekly triamcinolone injection.
I start with 10mg/ml, weekly for 5 weeks) plus silicone gel applied to the scar for as many hours every day as possible (at least 20 hours) for 2-3 months minimum. This combination actually works.
Usually within a week after the first injection, symptoms (itch, etc.) resolve, and then (slowly) the scar flattens and becomes whiter.
Read the full research paper here.
- Prof David Wilkinson
