VIDEO: Battlefield lessons improve treatment of traumatic scars

DENVER – Military dermatologists have played an active role in helping wounded warriors with their scars, and those physicians’ practices, including the use of ablative fractional resurfacing, are now entering the civilian world to treat injuries from fire, car crashes, or blasts.

Earlier this year, a group of dermatologists published a consensus report to highlight best practices for laser treatment of traumatic scars. The groups, which included several military dermatologists, concluded that "laser treatment, particularly ablative fractional resurfacing, deserves a prominent role in future scar treatment paradigms, with the possible inclusion of early intervention for contracture avoidance and assistance with wound healing."

In a video interview at the American Academy of Dermatology’s annual meeting, Lt. Col. Chad M. Hivnor, USAF, MC, FS, USA, a staff dermatologist for the San Antonio (Tex.) Military Health System, discussed the use of lasers in treating traumatic scars, talked about the psychology of scars, and shared a few of his own practice pearls.

[email protected]

On Twitter @naseemmiller

DENVER – Military dermatologists have played an active role in helping wounded warriors with their scars, and those physicians’ practices, including the use of ablative fractional resurfacing, are now entering the civilian world to treat injuries from fire, car crashes, or blasts.

Earlier this year, a group of dermatologists published a consensus report to highlight best practices for laser treatment of traumatic scars. The groups, which included several military dermatologists, concluded that "laser treatment, particularly ablative fractional resurfacing, deserves a prominent role in future scar treatment paradigms, with the possible inclusion of early intervention for contracture avoidance and assistance with wound healing."

In a video interview at the American Academy of Dermatology’s annual meeting, Lt. Col. Chad M. Hivnor, USAF, MC, FS, USA, a staff dermatologist for the San Antonio (Tex.) Military Health System, discussed the use of lasers in treating traumatic scars, talked about the psychology of scars, and shared a few of his own practice pearls.

[email protected]

On Twitter @naseemmiller

DENVER – Military dermatologists have played an active role in helping wounded warriors with their scars, and those physicians’ practices, including the use of ablative fractional resurfacing, are now entering the civilian world to treat injuries from fire, car crashes, or blasts.

Earlier this year, a group of dermatologists published a consensus report to highlight best practices for laser treatment of traumatic scars. The groups, which included several military dermatologists, concluded that "laser treatment, particularly ablative fractional resurfacing, deserves a prominent role in future scar treatment paradigms, with the possible inclusion of early intervention for contracture avoidance and assistance with wound healing."

In a video interview at the American Academy of Dermatology’s annual meeting, Lt. Col. Chad M. Hivnor, USAF, MC, FS, USA, a staff dermatologist for the San Antonio (Tex.) Military Health System, discussed the use of lasers in treating traumatic scars, talked about the psychology of scars, and shared a few of his own practice pearls.

[email protected]

On Twitter @naseemmiller