A practical and objective approach to scar colour assessment

Summary Scarring is a significant clinical problem following dermal injury. However, scars are not a single describable entity and huge phenotypic variability is evident. Quantitative, reproducible inter-observer scar assessment is essential to monitor wound healing and the effect of scar treatments. Scar colour, reflecting the biological processes occurring within a scar, is integral to any assessment. The objective of this study was to analyse scar colour using the non-invasive Eykona ® Wound Measurement System (the System) as compared against the Manchester Scar Scale (MSS). Three dimensional images of 43 surgical scars were acquired post-operatively from 35 patients at 3–6 months and the colour difference between the scar and surrounding skin was calculated (giving ΔLab values). The colourimetric results were then compared against subjective MSS gradings. A significant difference in ΔLab values between MSS gradings of "slight mismatch" and "obvious mismatch" ( p p