Changing Paradigms

The dermatology community is slowly coming to accept this application of the technology, Shumaker said. The two have published some articles in the last year and expect to conduct more extensive studies in the future.

“Up to this point, we’ve been determining what’s possible,” Shumaker said. “In the near future, we need to prove, in scientifically rigorous prospective studies, that it works. We need research into optimal combinations of treatment and into when the best time to intervene is.”

In the meantime, Shumaker and Uebelhoer say they are hoping the number of facilities using this kind of treatment will grow quickly and are doing what they can to make that happen. Last year, NMC San Diego hosted its First Annual Scar Symposium. The goal that year was to train other military physicians in this treatment.

At the second symposium this September, they are looking to create a world-class symposium on the treatment of scars, bringing in experts not only from dermatology but from plastic surgery, orthopedics and burn centers to share a variety of perspectives.

They also will use the symposium to teach physicians how to employ the treatment. “It’s important that people are well trained and familiar with the technique before they employ it,” Shumaker said. “But it’s certainly possible and very feasible to train people on devices they already have in their centers.”

They are especially hoping to attract VA physicians to the symposium. “We know there are hundreds, if not thousands, of burn and scar patients who could benefit from this — many of whom are out of the military but still have [veterans] benefits,” Uebelhoer said.

"Ablative fractional resurfacing for the treatment of traumatic scars and contractures."

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