What are the methods of scar repair

There are many ways to repair scars, but we should also make a reasonable choice as to which method is more effective. Now, radiotherapy, cryotherapy and pressure therapy for scars are all very effective, so we must make the right choice.

1. Radiation therapy for scars

Radiation can penetrate human tissue. When it hits scar tissue, its radiation energy is transferred to the tissue, causing physical and chemical damage to the scar, thereby inhibiting and destroying the growth of the scar and achieving the purpose of scar treatment. Radiation therapy has been used as a treatment for nearly a century. In the early days, X-rays with strong penetrating power were used to directly irradiate keloids, but the effect was slow and the side effects were great. It has been improved to use beta rays that only irradiate the shallow layer after the keloid or hypertrophic scar is removed, which shortens the treatment time and greatly reduces the side effects.

Radiation therapy is indicated for the treatment of abnormal scarring, usually as an adjunct to surgery to prevent recurrence. There is almost no adverse effect on the whole body during the treatment. Some patients may have slight local reactions after irradiation, which can usually be recovered after stopping the treatment.

2. Cryotherapy for scars

Cryotherapy uses low temperatures below 0°C to freeze and destroy scar tissue in order to achieve the purpose of scar treatment. This method is suitable for flat scars without obvious functional impairment, scattered depressed scars of varying sizes and heights left over after healing of smallpox, chickenpox, and acne, and bridge-shaped and hyperplastic scars. This method is safe and easy to perform, but patients with deep or large scars should not choose this method.

3. Pressure therapy for scars

The method of applying continuous pressure to the scar area with elastic fabric to prevent scar hyperplasia and treat hypertrophic scars and keloids is called pressure therapy. This method is simple and easy, with almost no side effects. It can also be used as an adjuvant treatment for drugs, radiation and other treatments, which can reduce the dosage of radiotherapy or medication and reduce the recurrence rate. This method is suitable for patients with larger hypertrophic scars or those who are not suitable for radiotherapy or local drug treatment. Compression therapy for skin scars has a history of more than 150 years. Its working principle is mainly to use pressure to narrow the lumen of blood vessels in the scar, reduce blood flow, cause the scar tissue to lack nutrition, and significantly inhibit the proliferation of scar tissue, thus achieving the purpose of scar treatment.