After an injury or surgical procedure, scars often linger as a visual reminder of the trauma the body has endured. Cosmetically, they may be unsightly. And, as wounds heal, scars can cause tissue to contract, limiting mobility, inducing pain and causing functional problems later on.
“It's an astronomical burden on our healthcare system,” says plastic surgeon Steven Moran, chair of the Division of Plastic Surgery and Reconstructive Surgery at the Mayo Clinic’s Center for Reconstructive Transplant Surgery.
For centuries, people have attempted to find cures for unseemly or uncomfortable scarring. These treatments, which range from surgical removal to freezing scars with liquid nitrogen, often deliver inconsistent results.
