At the The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) engineers have developed a innovative pad for treating hypertrophic scars and keloids. Such scars have a great deal of built-up collagen inside, forcing the scar to swell and protrude from the rest of the skin. Delivering pressure onto the scar via a pad helps it to heal better.
Additionally, moisturizing the wound provides its own benefit. Existing methods offer either pressure or silicone gel for moisture, but the Smart Scar-Care Pad from PolyU does both at the same time.
The device has a silicone rubber exterior which consists of an array of different height studs. The studs can be manufactured, potentially using 3D printing, to fit wounds of different shapes and deliver even pressure. The interior of the pad has a silicone gel sheet that continuously moisturizes the wound, which itself can have different thicknesses depending on clinical needs. The entire pad can be shaped using scissors, providing additional customization.
Presentation: “Smart Scar-Care” pad… (.pdf)