Clinical and Pathological Diagnosis of Scars

Cutaneous scars are believed to be due to aberrant wound healing that alters the levels of collagens in the dermis. Definite diagnoses of scar types that clearly distinguish them from other scar types will facilitate the selection of the most appropriate therapies for individual scars and patients. To this end, cutaneous scars are classified as normal scars, atrophic scars, hypertrophic scars, and keloids in this chapter. These different scar types will be reviewed in terms of their clinical symptoms and signs, the associated pathological changes in cellular and extracellular components, their appearance and effect on function, and how they can be diagnosed. The differential diagnosis of these scar types will also be discussed in detail.