title: Hypertrophic and keloidal scars: an approach to polytherapy.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: State Clinic, Hospital for Skin and Venereal Diseases, Thessaloniki, Greece. shsvd@otenet.gr
authors.forename: Fotini
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Boutli-Kasapidou
authors.forename: Amalia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsakiri
authors.forename: Eleni
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Anagnostou
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Mourellou
mesh_terms: 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*
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D020034:Silicone Gels; D014222:Triamcinolone Acetonide