Scars: questions of prevention and treatment

Abstract

Each year in the developed countries of the world 100 million patients acquire scars; and there are 11 million keloid scars among them. Aim of the study. Evaluate the effectiveness of treatment and dynamics of scar condition when using self-adhesive dressings (silicone sheet; silicone patch) with a layer of soft silicone. Patients and methods. A clinical prospective observational study of the dynamics of scarring conditions using selfadhesive dressings with a layer of silicone sheet (soft silicone) was conducted in 27 patients. Results. It was shown that by the third visit (42 days after inclusion in the study); the color changed towards lightening and disappearing red; in the largest group with dark red scars at the beginning of the study 43.7% completed the study with light pink scars; 43.7% with hyperpigmented and 5.26% with normopigmented (р 0.0001). Also significant was the dynamics of changes in the position of the scar relative to the level of normal skin (р 0.0001) with level alignment in case it was initially lower than the level of normal skin. The condition of the scar surface by the third visit normalized; in all patients the surface became even (p = 0.0044). There was a marked increase in the number of easily displaceable scars (from 11.1% to 37.0%; p = 0.0003). Also; by the third visit; itching disappeared in all patients (р 0.0001). Conclusion. Overall; the study showed marked improvement across all parameters studied. Silicone sheet; one of the most widely used forms of silicone-based dressings; to be an effective treatment scar management.

Keywords

• postoperative scar
• silicone sheet
• pathologic scars
• keloid scars
• hypertrophic scars