Non-surgical methods for the treatment and prevention of skin scars

Abstract

Hypertrophic scars and keloids mostly develop as a result of wound healing and skin burns. Depending on their location, pathological scars can be not only aesthetically distressing, but also present challenges associated with limited function of the limbs, frequent trauma, inflammation, and persistent pain syndrome. The urgency of the problem of hypertrophic and keloid scars has led to a plethora of therapeutic strategies and innovation techniques to prevent or attenuate pathological scar formation. At the same time, preventing pathological scarring is undoubtedly more effective and cheaper than treating it later on. Next to surgical techniques, injection therapy and an appropriate general postsurgical care for fresh wounds, a multitude of topical drugs are now available for scareless wound healing. Parallel to various silicone-based products, onion extract or cepalin has been highlighted as one of the potential anti-scarring agents over recent years. Based on several studies, onion extract alone or in combination with allantoin and heparin helped to alleviate the woundhealing process in wounds of various origins and prevent their pathological scarring. Considering that hypotrophic scar and keloid formation following surgery or trauma is almost impossible to predict, it is advisable to actively use topical dosage forms to improve wound healing and minimize aesthetic defect, the more so as the prevention of pathological scarring is more effective, safe and comfortable than its treatment. The simplicity of their use opens up vast opportunities for the treatment and prevention of the pathological scar formation in outpatient practice.