The Role of Laser in Management of Keloid and Hypertrophic Scars

Abstract

Hypertrophic scars and keloid have been known to man since the beginning of existence of trauma. Hypertrophic ad keloid scar is a great problem facing the plastic surgeons as the patient rarely becomes satisfied about the results specially if this scar is situated in exposed areas as the face. Therefore, scar revision is described as the plastic surgeon nightmare. This work was directed to identify the benefit gained from the use of laser as a treatment modality of keloid and hypertrophic scars. Thirty-five patients with keloid and hypertrophic scars (twenty hypertrophic scars and fifteen keloids) treated by pulsed dye laser (PDL) and Nd: YAG laser. The cosmetic outcome of the hypertrophic scars after laser treatment was affected equally by both colour changes and flattening of the scars. This is because their size is not so large and erythema is still high. While in keloid scars, the cosmetic outcome was affected mainly by flattening of the scars and to a lesser extent by colour changes because their size is large and colour matching is not so bad. Scar consistency or clinical symptoms did not influence the cosmetic outcome.