Hypertrophic Scars
What is a Scar?
Scar is a permanent mark resulting from the process of healing of any breach in continuity of full thickness of skin. Injury to superficial part of skin may heal without scarring.
What is a “Hypertrophic Scar”?
These scars are the result of excessive healing process and are raised above the level of surrounding skin, reddish in color and may be painful to pressure
What is a “Keloid”?
Keloid is a much more aggressive scar than hypertrophic scar. It is grossly elevated and tends to spread and also involve the surrounding normal skin. Itching in the Keloid is common.
How Hypertrophic Scar Differs from Keloid?
Hypertrophic Scar does not spread to surrounding normal skin while the Keloids spread. Hypertrophic scar usually shows an eventual tendency to regress spontaneously after 6-12 months of its formation. In Keloid, there is no such tendency to spontaneous regression.
Any role of age, sex, race and site in development of scars?
Scars in children, generally remains harder and redder for longer than in adults, & the end result is poorer. More wrinkled the skin, more rapidly the scar settles & the better is its final appearance. There is no sex & race predilection for hypertrophic scars but Keloids are more common in females and brown or black skin population. Most common sites for Keloids are pre-sternal (anterior chest midline) area, shoulder and ear lobes and for hypertrophic scars flexor aspects of the body
Is it possible to eliminate the scar completely?
No, once the scar is formed it may remain for ever, though it can be improved with the treatment and may becomes almost invisible.
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