Let’s talk about the hypertrophic scar treatment. Do you know what hypertrophic scars are? Hypertrophic scars are nothing but the thick, red and swollen scars which develop in some people. Scars are formed in the people who suffer from any injury, wound or undergo any surgical procedure. The formation of scars is actually a protective response from our body to cover up any wound or injury.
Our skin produces collagen fibers which try to heal the wound and these collagen fibers are a part of the scar tissue. Some people develop scars which are very small and they fade away with time. But there are people who develop very thick and red hypertrophic scars which become a cause of concern for them. But these hypertrophic scars are limited to the site of the injury. They do not grow beyond the injury site unlike the keloid scars which extend beyond the injury site.
Hypertrophic scars causes?
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Before we talk about hypertrophic scar treatment, let us talk about hypertrophic scars causes at first. Do you know the reason why some people develop hypertrophic scars and some others don’t? There are many factors which influence the formation of hypertrophic scars like:
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Age:
People who are young tend to develop hypertrophic scars more than people who are old. This is because the skin of the young people can divide more rapidly to produce more collagen fibers which are a part of the scar tissue.
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Heredity:
There are many people who develop hypertrophic scars due to the nature of the genes that they inherited from their parents. So you can say that hypertrophic scars tend to run in families.
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Race:
Even race plays an important role in determining the development of these scars. These scars develop more commonly among the people who are of African origin.
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Color of your skin:
People with a darker skin color develop these scars more easily.
Hypertrophic scar treatment:
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Now we have seen the various reasons why these ugly looking scars can develop. Now let us talk about the best possible ways which are used for hypertrophic scar treatment.
1.Laser therapy:
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Laser therapy has become very popular among the people. Laser therapy is being used to treat a variety of skin problems including keloid scars and hypertrophic scars. The type of laser used for treating hypertrophic scars is pulse dye laser. This laser therapy is an outpatient procedure and it will take about 1 or 2 hours.
Laser therapy will remove the top layers of the skin due the laser radiations. Then your skin will try o replaces the lost skin layers by forming more collagen which will eventually replace the scar. But there are some side effects of the laser therapy which you should be aware of like:
- Blister formation
- Increased sensitivity of the skin
- Hyperpigmentation or the increased pigmentation of the skin
These side effects will disappear after about 1 month time. The doctor will review your scars after 2 months of time. If necessary he might repeat the laser therapy.Let us talk about some other hypertrophic scar treatment options available.
2.Steroid injections:
Steroids are injected into the scar tissue for the treatment of hypertrophic scars. The most commonly used steroids are triamcinolone. This therapy is also used for treating keloid scars.
3.Use of tea tree oil:
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Just like the other scars, hypertrophic scars also respond well to the massage of tea tree oil. Regular use of this oil over the scar will show results slowly but steadily.
4.Vitamin E:
Apply vitamin E solution to the scar tissue and it will benefit you for sure. You can get vitamin E solution by squeezing out the solution from vitamin E capsules which are available in the market.
5.Silicone sheets:
You can get silicone sheets in the market, which you need to apply to the affected scar area. You need to follow this method continuously for some days. It will show you very good results if followed properly.
6.Aloe vera gel:
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Apply Aloe vera gel to the scar and massage gently. Leave it for some time. Then wash off with warm water. This is a very natural method of treating hypertrophic scars and it has no side effects at all. It will be more effective if freshly prepared Aloe vera gel is used.
7.Surgery:
When no other method is effective, the doctor may recommend you to undergo scar repair surgery. The doctor will remove the scar tissue by cutting it out. Then your skin will form new cells and collagen fibers to replace the scar. This surgery will also produce scar formation, but it will be less compared to the hypertrophic scars.
By now you must have got a good idea about the hypertrophic scar treatment, right.