Reducing Burn Scars with Compression Garments

While minor burns may heal without any lasting effects, more serious burns can leave permanent scars. Burn scars can be a constant reminder of a traumatic event and can cause physical pain and discomfort. There are various types of burn scars, depending on the depth and severity of the burn. Any form of serious burn scar can have a significant impact on a person's quality of life. They can be painful, itchy, and cosmetically unappealing. In reports delivered by the American Burn Association, roughly 40,000 U.S. hospitalizations annually are related to burn injury, with a majority of victims suffering from some amount of burn scarring. The odds are high that you or someone you know suffers from the negative effects of burn scars. Compression garments are helpful tools that can assist with these afflictions. They are often used to help reduce the appearance of burn scars and to help relieve some of the pain and discomfort associated with them.

What is a burn scar?
Simply put, burn scars occur when burns cause damage to the skin. For burns that only affect the outer layers of the skin, the scar tissue fades over time or doesn't form at all. However, when the deeper layers of the skin are damaged, it causes more permanent scarring that can have a thick, leathery, or irregular appearance. As nerve endings regenerate from healing, this process has the potential to cause serious pain. Burn scars can have a serious and lasting impact on one's life and require a long time to heal fully.

What Are the Types of Burn Scar?
There are several types of burn scars, but the most common include any of these three categories:
• Hypertrophic scars
• Keloid scars
• Contracture scars
Hypertrophic scars are raised, red, and thickened scars that occur when the body overproduces collagen in response to an injury. They can be painful, itchy, and may limit the range of motion in the affected area. Hypertrophic scars typically improve over time and do not usually require treatment. Keloid scars are similar to hypertrophic in appearance and level of discomfort. However, keloid scars often recur even after treatment and can be difficult to manage. Contracture scars are deep, narrow scars that occur when the skin and underlying tissues contract in response to an injury. They can cause irritating pain and can limit body motion in the affected area. Contracture scars often require surgery to improve function and appearance.

How Compression Socks can Help with Burn Scars
Compression therapy for the management of scars sometimes referred to as pressure therapy, is a crucial step in the recovery process for burn victims. Compression garments apply pressure on healing burns and grafts when the damaged skin is healed enough to tolerate fabric-against-skin shear. They manipulate the collagen that is normally produced and realign the collagen fibers, which reduces the appearance of scars. Some benefits of compression garments for burn scars include but are not limited to:
• Reduce thick and heavy scarring
• Decrease general discomforts, such as itching or pain
• Support better circulation of damaged skin tissue
• Increased mobility in damaged areas
• Prevention of scar growth and visible permanence

Compression therapy reduces the amount of fluid that accumulates in the tissue, reducing the scar's thickness. Furthermore, it reduces scar growth by providing constant pressure to the healing wound. The pressure is necessary to help flatten the scar and prevent it from getting thicker. These specialized garments also can help to reduce discomfort from burn scars by providing pressure and support to the area. This improves circulation and reduces inflammation, leading to less pain and discomfort. Additionally, compression therapy can help to prevent the formation of new scars by keeping the area clean and free from irritation. Compression garments also have the potential to prevent deep formations of hypertrophic scars, which can lead to an increase in mobility.

In summary, compression garments will work to ease some of the worst aspects of scar recovery by targeting the processes that cause physical discomfort, visually unpleasant healing, and decreased mobility in affected areas. Compression garments provide relief to painful areas and leave a section of skin that looks effectively and thoroughly healed by providing constant pressure, reducing tissue fluids, and increasing circulation levels.

Scar healing is often a lengthy, unpleasant, and sometimes draining process. Since wearing compression garments can help with many ailments' symptoms and suffering, including scar treatment therapy, Crazy Compression wants to make life easier for everyone by providing comfortable and effective compression socks. We can assist you if compression socks have been prescribed for your compression therapy or if you're seeking some type of compression to ease visual and physical discomfort. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.