Current Strategies in the Treatment of Scars and Keloids.

Abstract

Hypertrophic scars (HTSs) and keloids are a major health concern for aesthetic and functional reasons. Despite a plethora of rapidly evolving treatment options and technical advances, the management of pathologic scarring remains difficult. The development of standardized treatment algorithms has been problematic for years due to the lack of sound randomized controlled trials. Expert panels are more and more establishing guidelines to provide an evidence-based framework on a national and international level. This article aims to evaluate the current strategies and upcoming trends in the therapy and prevention of unpleasant scars and keloids from a clinical perspective. There is strong evidence to support a growing role of early combination treatments, particularly the application of 5-fluoruracil adjunct to intralesional steroid injections. Furthermore, the use of fractional ablative laser technologies such as the CO2 laser has recently yielded promising results with respect to aesthetic outcomes and patient satisfaction at tolerable side effects.

• Authors: Markus V Heppt, Helmut Breuninger, Markus Reinholz, Gabriele Feller-Heppt, Thomas Ruzicka, Gerd G Gauglitz
• Journal: Facial plastic surgery : FPS (Facial Plast Surg) Vol. 31 Issue 4 Pg. 386-95 (Aug 2015) ISSN: 1098-8793 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 26372714 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Chemical References

• Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic
• Neurotoxins
• Plant Extracts
• Silicon Compounds
• Steroids
• Botulinum Toxins, Type A
• Fluorouracil

Topics

• Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic (therapeutic use)
• Botulinum Toxins, Type A (therapeutic use)
• Cicatrix, Hypertrophic (surgery, therapy)
• Cryosurgery
• Fluorouracil (therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Keloid (surgery, therapy)
• Laser Therapy
• Lasers, Dye (therapeutic use)
• Lasers, Solid-State (therapeutic use)
• Neurotoxins (therapeutic use)
• Onions
• Phytotherapy
• Plant Extracts (therapeutic use)
• Pressure
• Silicon Compounds (therapeutic use)
• Steroids (therapeutic use)