Scar therapy? Plz help!?

Question

I have severe hypertrophic scars on my arms from self-injury years ago. Is there any therapy for it? How effective is dermabrasion on raised scars?

Answer 1

Unfortunately, there is no easy treatment for severe hypertrophic scars.

Some improvement can be seen with prolonged (months) of pressure therapy, typically in conjunction with a silicone treatment (sheeting).

Steroid injections into the scar can also decrease the thickness of the scars. These often have to be repeated several months apart. Side effects of steroid injections include thinning of the surrounding skin, skin discoloration, and wasting away of the fatty layer under the skin (fat atrophy).

Surgical excision of the scar and a modified closure (like Z-plasty) can lead to a better scar by decreasing the tension on the wound. (Tension makes scars worse).

Dermabrasion has been used in the past, but more for severe hypertrophic scars from burn wounds. This is essentially like sanding.

Fraxel and other lasers have shown some improvement too, but you need several treatments (can get very expensive) and again, it's no magic bullet.

The best advice I can give is to go and see a board certified plastic surgeon. The best treatment depends on how the scars look, feel, and on the exact location (near or away from a joint).