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Semi-occlusive dressings can be used to regenerate fingertips including fingerprints and sensitivity.

Could one just cut a scar (a surgery scar for example) out and use a semi-occlusive dressing to remove the scar? Wouldn't scarring be prevented by using semi-occlusive bandages instead of regular ones?


Mühldorfer-Fodor et al., Oper Orthop Traumatol. 2013 Feb;25(1):104-14. doi:10.1007/s00064-012-0192-5

Hoigné et al., J Hand Surg Eur Vol. 2014 Jun;39(5):505-9. doi:10.1177/1753193413489639

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    EXCELLENT question for this site! Welcome @Matso. Doesn't mean I have a good answer for this myself, I'd have to dig a bit and don't have time ATM, but I appreciate the thought process!
    – DoctorWhom
    Commented Sep 7, 2017 at 7:15

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That sounds a bit too broadly defined a question to answer with a general yes or no.

Once a scar is formed it is difficult to remove, if not impossible. Cutting out scar tissue produces another scar. The outcome of this might be worse.

Although quite promising, your second link qualifies: "The skin healed almost without scarring […]"

Scar formation outcomes are largely determined by how the affected tissue came to be wounded and how it is treated immediately and long term afterwards.

Already present scars may be treated, with surgery, chemicals, lasers, etc. This is done mostly to 'improve' them, to make them smaller, less obvious, to camouflage them so to speak. Fresh scars will be more easily influenced than older ones.

If this is the goal then there seem to be some options in that general direction:

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