Dr Salinda Johnson outlines the most common types of scars and details some of the effective treatments available
Scarring occurs in a variety of forms with various differing characteristics. Scarring affects all skin types, regardless of ethnicity, and can appear anywhere on the face and body. Types of scarring include keloid, hypertrophic and atrophic. Each year in the developed world approximately 100 million patients acquire scars as a result of 55 million elective operations and 25 million operations after trauma,1 some of which can cause considerable problems such as psychological distress, restricted movement (especially larger scars that stretch over joints), itching or discomfort. Global figures are unknown but are likely to be much higher. People with abnormal skin scarring may face physical, aesthetic, psychological, and social consequences that may be associated with…
