Treatment Options for All Types of Burn Scars
Finding quick, first-aid burn treatment is a crucial part of reducing the extent of damage and subsequent scarring caused by burns. If you've been burned then it is important that you reduce the temperature of the area with luke warm, running water until medical assistance becomes available. This simple action will help maintain the damage from spreading.
Burn accidents produce three main types of scars: keloids, hypertrophic scars, and contracture scars. There is a complications and treatment option associated to each one of these burn scars.
Keloid Scar Treament
Keloids are known as overgrown scar tissue. This type of scar will quickly extend past the edges of the original injury or wound. They are usually red or pink in the beginning and will turn into a light brown over time.
If keloids are large in size they can become restrictive and make movement difficult. Keloids are usually itchy and can become irritated when clothing rubs up against them.
Keloid scars are a little difficult to treat because there is a high rate of recurrence. This type of scar is usually treated with steroid injections or pressure garments, however, surgery may be used to treat unresponsive scar tissue.
If you want to permanently heal burn scars, the treatment is extensive and even then, they may reappear. In some cases it may be necessary to have the keloid scar removed surgically every few years.
Treatment for Hypertrophic Scars
These types of scars are also raised and thick, however, unlike keloid scars, hypertrophic scars only affect the original wound site. In these cases burn scar treatment is quite basic.
Usually hypertrophic scars respond well to steroid injections and pressure garments. If for some reason they do not respond as expected, the doctor may need to operate. After completing surgery, doctor's will care for the scar by applying pressure garments to keep it from recurring.
Treatment for Contracture Scars One of the most dreaded types of scars are contracture scars from burns. A contracture scar is defined as a permanent tightening of the skin that can also affect muscles and tendons. This type of scar can limit mobility.
The problem originates because non elastic scar tissue replaces normal elastic connective tissue. Of course, the area becomes limited in how much it can stretch and extend.
To help make the skin more elastic and improve its mobility, contracture scars are treated with physical therapy, pressure garments, and exercise. However, to remove burn scars of this nature, the victim must have skin grafts implanted.
Burn scars can vary in size. The smaller scars can be easily treated while extensive burns may require surgical intervention. Depending on the extent of your burns, burn scar removal can be achieved by using pressure garments, laser therapy, and even creams specially formulated for this purpose. Natural products such as BIOSKINCARE contain a special ingredient that can help in healing burn scars by triggering the replacement of damaged scar tissue with healthy new skin cells.
Published December 11th, 2009
Filed in Diseases And Conditions