Hypertrophic and keloidal scars: an approach to polytherapy.
BACKGROUND
Cryotherapy and intralesional corticosteroids have been used separately or in combination as a treatment for hypertrophic and keloidal scars. The addition of silicone gel to the treatment schedule might be of interest.


METHODS
Twenty patients with hypertrophic and keloidal scars received two 15-s cycles (in total 30 s) of cryotherapy treatments at every session (once monthly for 12 months) with intralesional injections of trimcinolone acetonide 0.1% (10-40 mg/mL, once monthly for 3 months). Topical application of silicone gel was added three times daily (for 12 months). The control group included 10 patients who received treatment with silicone sheeting.


RESULTS
After 1 year there was improvement in all the parameters studied, especially in terms of symptoms, cosmetic appearance and associated signs (P < 0.0001) compared to baseline and compared to the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
Our study suggests that polytherapy may be an effective tool in the therapy of hypertrophic and keloidal scars.
Boutli-Kasapidou
Fotini
F
State Clinic, Hospital for Skin and Venereal Diseases, Thessaloniki, Greece. shsvd@otenet.gr
Tsakiri
Amalia
A
Anagnostou
Eleni
E
Mourellou
Olga
O
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017439:Cicatrix, Hypertrophic / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D017679:Cryotherapy; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D015552:Injections, Intralesional; D007627:Keloid / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D020034:Silicone Gels / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D020034:Silicone Gels; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide