• G P Wittenberg, B G Fabian, J L Bogomilsky, L R Schultz, E J Rudner, M L Chaffins, G M Saed, R L Burns, and D P Fivenson.
• Department of Dermatology, Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, Mich, USA.
• Arch Dermatol. 1999 Sep 1; 135 (9): 1049-55.

ObjectiveTo determine the efficacy of the 585-nm flashlamp-pumped pulsed-dye laser and silicone gel sheeting in the treatment of hypertrophic scars in lighter- and darker-skinned patients.DesignProspective, single-blind, randomized, internally controlled, comparison investigation.SettingLarge academic dermatology department.PatientsTwenty patients with hypertrophic scars (19 completed the laser treatments and 18 completed the silicone gel sheeting treatments).Main Outcome MeasuresClinical measurements included hypertrophic scar blood flow, elasticity, and volume. Patients' subjective complaints of pruritus, pain, and burning were also monitored. Histological assessment of fibrosis, number of telangiectasias, and number of mast cells was performed. Statistically significant improvements in clinical measurements and patients' subjective complaints determined treatment success.ResultsMean scar duration was 32 months (range, 4 months to 20 years). There was an overall reduction in blood flow, volume, and pruritus over time (P = .001, .02, and .005, respectively). However, no differences were detected among treatment and control groups. There was no reduction in pain or burning (0-40 weeks), elasticity (8-40 weeks), or fibrosis (0-40 weeks, n = 5 biopsies) in the treated or control sections of the scars. Unlike in a previous study, the number of mast cells in the scars was similar to the number of mast cells in healthy skin.ConclusionClinical results demonstrate that the improvements in scar sections treated with silicone gel sheeting and pulsed-dye laser were no different than in control sections.

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