How to treat protruding scars?
Jan 25, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Chen Lu
Introduction
In general, protruding scars may be related to abnormal skin tension, excessive inflammatory response, poor healing, keloids, hypertrophic scars, and other factors. It is recommended to seek medical attention promptly and follow a doctor's guidance for treatments such as laser therapy, scar softening injections, dermabrasion, or medication. During the wound healing process, it is advisable to keep the wound clean and avoid infection.
Generally, protruding scars may be related to abnormal skin tension, excessive inflammatory response, poor healing, keloids, or hypertrophic scars. It is recommended to seek timely medical advice and undergo treatments such as laser therapy, scar-softening injections, dermabrasion, or medication under a doctor's guidance. Detailed explanations are as follows:
1. Abnormal Skin Tension
When the skin is injured, if the wound tension is too high or unevenly distributed, it may lead to excessive proliferation of fibrous connective tissue, resulting in a protruding scar. Under medical advice, laser therapy can be used to stimulate the deeper layers of the skin with laser energy, promoting collagen regeneration while destroying the proliferative fibrous tissue to flatten the scar. The general reference price for laser therapy is 3,000–6,000 yuan per session. Improvement is usually visible within 5–7 days after treatment, although pigmentation may occur.
2. Excessive Inflammatory Response
During the healing process, if the inflammatory response is excessive, a large number of cytokines may be released, stimulating fibrous connective tissue proliferation and forming a protruding scar. Scar-softening injections, such as corticosteroid injections into the scar tissue, can be used under medical advice to inhibit fibrous connective tissue proliferation and promote scar softening and flattening. The general reference price for scar-softening injections is 500–3,000 yuan per injection. Improvement is usually visible within 1–2 weeks after treatment, although symptoms such as pain and swelling may occur.
3. Poor Healing
Poor healing after skin injury, such as infection or residual foreign bodies, may lead to abnormal proliferation of scar tissue and the formation of protruding scars. Dermabrasion can be performed under medical guidance to remove scar tissue on the skin surface mechanically or with laser, promoting skin regeneration and repair to flatten the scar. The general reference price for dermabrasion is 3,000–5,000 yuan per session. Improvement is usually visible 3–4 weeks after the procedure, although symptoms such as redness and swelling may occur.
4. Keloids
Keloids are usually caused by skin trauma or inflammation. Skin trauma or inflammation can lead to the formation of hard, irregularly shaped scar tissue on the skin surface, often accompanied by symptoms such as pigmentation and skin atrophy. Treatment under medical instructions may include medications such as tranilast capsules, compound betamethasone injection, and fluorouracil cream.
5. Hypertrophic Scars
Hypertrophic scars are usually caused by skin trauma or other factors. During the healing process, excessive proliferation of fibrous connective tissue leads to raised scars on the skin, generally accompanied by symptoms such as tightness and restricted movement. Treatment under medical instructions may include medications such as heparin sodium cream, vitamin E soft capsules, and asiaticoside tablets.
During the wound healing process, it is recommended to keep the wound clean and moist to prevent infection. Also, avoid excessive friction and irritation of the wound to prevent worsening of scar proliferation.
