Review of Scar Assessment Scales

Abstract

Scars that occur during wound healing can cause several cosmetic and functional problems and can exhibit various clinical features. From a therapeutic point of view, if scarring is severe, surgical removal is considered. However, if it is not severe, non-invasive methods, such as laser treatment, are given priority. It is important to select the ideal scar assessment method for the appropriate treatment of skin scars. To aid in this endeavor, we reviewed the following methods of scar assessment: The Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS), Modified Vancouver Scar Scale (mVSS), Seattle Scale, Mapping Assessment of Scars and Photographs (MAPS), Hamilton Scale, Manchester Scale, Patient and Observer Scar Assess-ment Scale (POSAS), Stony Brook Scar Evaluation Scale (SBSES), University of North Carolina “4P” Scar Scale (UNC4P), Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). The objective of this study was to summarize and evaluate the various scar assessment methods that are commonly used in clinical practice.