Hypertrophic Scars

Hypertrophic scars are hard, raised, red, itchy lumps left behind after a traumatic injury, such as a burn. According to the USC Plastic Surgery website, it is especially common after a deep partial-thickness wound. It can scar more than just the physical being; it can also wound the soul, as well as hurt a person's self-esteem, job chances, and chances of success in society as a whole. It can lead to pre-judgments, stares and rude comments, adding to the scar victim's self-consciousness.

Frequency


According to Dr. Tina S. Alster, between 4.5 and 16 percent of the population are plagued with hypertrophic scars. People with darker skin, or with flaws in their ability to properly process collagen are most vulnerable to this type of scarring. However, after a significant traumatic event, such scars can develop in the fairer-skinned population as well.

Treatments

One method of treatment against hypertrophic scars involves laser therapy, usually done with a 585-nanometer pulsed dye laser. When initially tested prior to its use in surgeon's rooms, it was proven effective against this kind of a scar. The results of these trials showed improved skin tone. Such longitudinal studies observed patients for anywhere from six months to four years. It was found that the initial improvements persisted during these time frames.

Another form of treatment is to surgically remove these annoying lesions. However, it has been shown that this method of treatment can prove to be a massive waste of money, because of the rate of recurrence afterward. This means that you would have repeat instances of going under the knife, spending loads of money. It would become especially expensive, since most insurance plans don't cover cosmetic surgery, like that to remove hypertrophic scars.

Another weapon against hypertrophic scars used by physicians is cryotherapy. This procedure usually involves the use of liquid nitrogen to freeze the hypertrophic scars. The goal is to reduce the size of the marks by freezing their outer skin layers. Usually it takes one to three rounds of freezing and thawing to conquer the scars. One of the down sides of this method of treatment is that it may have to be repeated on a monthly basis.

Another contraindication of cryotherapy is that it may result in some discomfort and negative pigmentation changes that may be irreversible. However, cryotherapy remains popular among hypertrophic scars because of the lower rate of recurrence.

Natural Treatments

If the standard medical remedies for hypertrophic scars don't appeal to you, there are a number of natural remedies from which to choose. For example, there are creams on the market that contain Vitamin E. When you massage it into your skin over the scarred area, it will moisturize the scar tissue and prevents its reopening. A caveat is in order here--make sure that when you're applying this cream, you are doing so over a wound that's closed. You never want to use it over one that is open.

There are a host of other remedies for hypertrophic scars. Aloe vera gel, for example, works best when applied almost immediately after the incident that led to the wound in the first place. But you can also try lemon juice, marigold and gotu kola to get rid of these scars, which, indeed, can be disfiguring.