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The cost of hypertrophic scar treatment would depend on the extent of the scar, the method of treatment and the fees of the doctor. There are several types of scars. A scar formation is a body's method of healing and it uses collagen to heal. As this is different from the original skin, the scar formed is different from the surrounding tissue. Hypertrophic scars can be red, rough or raised but they stay within the limits of the wound. It is difficult to estimate the exact cost of the hypertrophic scar treatment as it has a lot of variables. Normally such scars fade away gradually and so the doctors advise a period of about a year before treatment is begun so that the scar has a chance of fading on its own without any external influence. Here the cost would be negligible. Sometimes, injections on the scar itself make it fade. The cortico-steroid injections may cost a bit of money. Again it depends on how many doses are given and in what quantity and the frequency. Sometimes the treatment lasts for a couple of years.
Gel application or using pressure garments also reduces the intensity of scars. An injection scar sometimes gets lesser if a coin is pressed on it and kept there for some time. Using these methods would not be very expensive. And it would be within the reach of an average person. If all these methods fail, then the patient goes in for surgical removal of scars. There are different methods of surgery for scar removal and each method costs differently. When the aim is to get rid of the scar or at least make it lesser, then the cost factor should not deter a patient.
If the insurance agency considers removal of scars as a cosmetic procedure, then the chances of them paying up are very small. Usually they do not pay for cosmetic surgery. But if the scar revision is performed to minimize the scarring from an injury or to improve the ability of the function of the body, it may be partially covered by insurance. The patient has to check the policy and call the insurance agent to check how much of the expenses the insurance would cover. The patient should find out all this before going in for surgery to avoid problems later on.
Finally the consultation fees of the doctor and the surgical expenditure would add to the total cost of the procedure of scar treatment. |
