Effective Strategies to Attack Keloid and Hypertrophic Scars

After an injury the body has a natural way of healing any open wounds. The production of skin cells and fibroblasts are the first step in the reparation process. The fibroblasts generate a set of connections where the skin cells migrate and close the wound.

In a healthy healing process, the fibroblasts and skin cells have the same rate of production and produce a normal scar that will fade with time. However, if the fibroblasts reproduce faster than the skin cells, they will form a dense band that impedes the migration of the skin cells to the wound. The result, in this case, is a raised formation on the skin known as a keloid scar or hypertrophic scar.

What is the difference between the two? The following article will examine the differences between these types of scars as well as hypertrophic and keloid scar treatment

Keloids

Keloids exceed the area of the original wound. Their appearance is like a puckered cluster of tissue that emerges from the surface of the skin. This type of raised scars are irregular in shape and, unlike other types, they usually do not fade with time, but grow larger.

They can be pinkish or red and have a tendency to become fairly large and unattractive. They can also be tender to the touch, itchy and sometimes painful. On a histological level, keloids are composed of thick and abundant collagen bundles that form lumps deep within the skin.

Hypertrophic Scars

Hypertrophic scars are the result of the body overproducing collagen. The result of this anomaly is a raised scar like a keloid scar. However, unlike keloids, hypertrophic scars do not grow beyond the limits of the original wound.

Treating Hypertrophic and Keloid Scars

There are several treatments for raised scars. But, we will take a look at a couple of the most common ones: compression therapy and corticosteroid injections

Compression therapy involves applying pressure to the scar. Reports have stated that by applying pressure to the scar, there is a reduction in the cohiesiveness of collagen fibers. Compression treatments include ACE bandages, elastic adhesive bandages, compression wraps, spandex or Lycra bandages among others.

Corticosteroids, specifically intralesional corticosteroid injections, have been a constant form of treatment to aid hypertrophic scar healing. Intralesional corticosteroid injections help inhibit the development of scar tissue by reducing collagen synthesis, by altering glucosaminoglycan synthesis, and by inhibiting the production of fibroblast proliferation during wound healing.

Surgery, cryo treatments and laser therapy are other alternatives for the treatment of raised scars. Check with your doctor to choose the best alternative for you.

When abnormal scar healing creates raised scars, you have a large range of treatment alternatives. Deep tissue massages and skin exfoliation are also alternatives for raised scars treatments.

source: ezinearticles.com