The treatment of nonburn hypertrophic scars using a custom fitted facemask

Facial hypertrophic scarring is certainly not an uncommon event and can lea d to significant aesthetic and functional problems. Its etiologies can rang e from thermal burns, facial trauma, infectious diseases, congenital deform ities or tumor ablation. Many have described the prevention and treatment o f hypertrophic scars, all with varying degrees of success. Using a form of pressure therapy, the custom fitted transparent facemask allows for precise determination of critical pressure areas and is cosmetically acceptable to patients. We have utilized this non-invasive modality in plastic surgery f or the treatment of non-burn hypertrophic scars and have met with uniform s uccess and patient acceptability.