STUDY ON IMPACT OF SKIN REHABILITATION MASSAGE THERAPY ON IMMATURE SCAR IN BURN VICTIM

*Dr. Nikita Rolekar and Dr. Sidharth Misra

ABSTRACT

In burn patients, 2nd and 3rd degree burns give rise to immature scars on healing in recovery phase. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of skin rehabilitation massage therapy on immature scars with parameters like scar quality, pain and itching. This randomized controlled trial study included 100 burn patients treated in our hospital from April 2020 to April 2022. Age group of 18yrs to 70 yrs included and Group 1 was treated according to the routine management while Group 2 was treated with skin rehabilitation massage therapy. The patients in both the groups were assessed by two tools. Tool 1: Visual Analog Pain Assessment scale. Tool 2: Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS). Results were assessed only after 6 weeks and 3 months. 94% of patients had worse pain in group 1 and 20% in group 2, 34 % in group 1 and 66% in group 2 had painless, supple, more regular thin scar after 6 weeks and 3 months, 6 months of intervention. Skin rehabilitation massage therapy is a cost effective, easily implementable so it is crucial to start the therapy early to reduce the pain, improve the scar quality and preventing the hypertrophic scar and contracture amongst the burn survivors.

Keywords: Immature burn scar, Skin rehabilitation massage therapy, Scar quality.