Articles Posted in Preventing And Dealing with Scars.

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A recent article from the Institute for NanoBioTechnology discussed the developments that Johns Hopkins researchers have made in creating a jelly-like material for burn wound treatment which, in early experiments on skin damaged by severe burns, seemed to regenerate healthy tissue with no sign of the previous burn scars.

In a mid-December report from the National Academy of Sciences, the researchers reported their promising results from tests using mouse tissue. The new treatment has not yet been tested on human patients, but the researchers say that the procedure, which promotes the formation of new blood vessels and skin, could lead to greatly improved healing for victims of third degree burns.

The treatment involved a simple wound dressing that included a specially designed hydrogel: a water-based, three-dimensional framework of polymers. This material was developed by researchers at Johns Hopkins’ Whiting School of Engineering, working with clinicians at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center Burn Center and the School of Medicine’s Department of Pathology.

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There is an uplifting story on CNN.com today about a burn victim who is not only is healing physically from his burns, but also psychologically. Here’s the proof: The boy, Youssif, was given a “certificate of citizenship” recently, which is an award for being exceptionally nice to a fellow classmate in school. Another boy got hurt, and Youssif helped the boy with his gashed arm by applying an ice pack and helping to stop the bleeding.

Youssif is proud of his award–and his family, his doctors, and his entire support system should all be proud as well. Four years ago, Youssif suffered third degree burns to his face–much of it melted, actually–during a battle among local sects in Iraq. But after dozens of surgeries in the United States, doctors have been able to reverse a lot of the horrible burn scars. Not only that, but Youssif is no longer the sad, quiet child he was in the few years after his burn injury.

Through extensive counseling with his family, he is now able to cope with the facial scars he still has from the attack, and he also has an upbeat attitude that’s hard to believe. He says his looks no longer bother him, “because none of my other friends make fun of me,” he says in English. His mother is so happy to see her boy like he was before he was burned. “His personality has changed so much,” she told CNN.com. “The way he interacts with people, and everything else. It began as soon as he started school and realized that the children don’t care about his appearance. It allowed him to have a normal life.”

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Scars are areas of fibrous tissue that replace normal skin or other tissues after an injury. Scar formation is a natural part of the healing process.

Scars can happen as a result of an infection, surgery, injuries such as burns or inflammation of tissue. They may cause functional and psychological problems for patients.

There are three types of scar: Hypertrophic scar, keloid scar, and contracture scar.

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