Burn Scars

Burn Scar Care Locations

Loading component...

Burn Scar Treatments

Loading component...

Becoming a Patient

Billing, Insurance & Financial Assistance

Your Visit

Patient Portal

With advanced treatments and world-class expertise, Shriners Children's cares for, and improves the lives of children with burn scars every day.

At Shriners Children’s, we are improving outcomes and changing lives using the most advanced technology and techniques to manage scars. Whether a child’s burn mark is a result of a burn or other traumatic injury, our team can work to restore the patient to the most optimal functional and cosmetic state, using surgical and/or non-surgical scar management. Regardless of degree of burn, our techniques can help reduce the appearance of burn scars, whether the burn marks are on a child’s face or other part of the body. Children with second degree burn scars or deeper can benefit from our scar management program.

Shriners Children's Burn Care Accreditation

Three Shriners Children's locations providing burn care are accredited by the American Burn Association (ABA) and the American College of Surgeons (ACS) as verified pediatric burn centers.

We have a strong connection to and history with the ABA. All of the Shriners Children's burn care chiefs of staff at the above locations have been presidents of the ABA. These distinctions display the depth of the burn care support services we provide, as well as the vast amounts of research we lead on behalf of our patients and children around the world who’ve been burned.

At the Forefront of Scar Management

Skin grafting is highly effective in closing acute wounds quickly, but the recovery can be painful and the area from which the graft is taken, known as the donor site, is left scarred. Additionally, both the grafted area and the donor site can develop thick hypertrophic scars that impair mobility and function, and result in less than optimal cosmetic results.

Non-surgical, compression therapy treatment involves wearing pressure garments, clear masks and other appliances 23 hours a day for the first year to reduce scarring, which peaks between three and six months after the initial burn.

Scars can never be completely erased but there are options to improve the appearance of scars or reduce the size of a burn mark in some cases. This can be done through minimally invasive surgery, use of tissue expanders and/or by complete surgical revision using advanced wound closure techniques.

Leaders in Laser Medicine

Today, clinical practice is changing and doctors may recommend letting some less severe wounds heal on their own, without grafting, eliminating additional donor site scarring. After healing has occurred, plastic surgeons at Shriners Children’s can use pulsed dye and CO2 lasers to minimize raised scarring, known as hypertrophy, and restore the skin to its pre-injury state. In cases where grafting was necessary and hypertrophic scars develop, lasers are very effective at reducing the scars and improving the patient’s overall appearance without further surgery.

Specific treatments and services may vary by location. Please contact a specific location for more information.

Learn About Burn Scar Treatments

When you and your child meet our team of specialized plastic surgeons, you’ll see with your own eyes why Shriners Children's is world-renowned for being leaders in pediatric burn care. Our physicians stay abreast of advances in burn care through organizations such as the American Burn Association (ABA), and incorporate the most advanced treatments for scar management in their practices.

Every treatment plan is as unique as your child. Read more about burn scar treatment options.

The most common treatments are:

Loading component...

Laser medicine decreases hospitalization and does not cause deformity in other parts of the body. These advances are not only keeping kids out of the operating room, but are contributing to better outcomes and a better long-term quality of life for our patients.
Matthias Donelan, M.D., Boston

Share Your Story

Loading component...

{"items":[{"title":"Shriners Children's Boston","image":"https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/shrinershosf393-shriners4ad9-prodb963-58d8/media/project/shriners/shc/migration-images/related-locations-dropdown-carousel/boston-hospital-back-view-961x640-64444-ashx.jpeg?h=640&iar=0&w=961","imageAlt":"boston-hospital-back-view-961x640-64444-ashx","text":"Pediatric specialty care for children throughout Massachusetts and beyond","ctaItem":{"ctaLinkIcon":"https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/shrinershosf393-shriners4ad9-prodb963-58d8/media/icons/si-nonhero-icons-_-24x24px/solid-white-_-24x24px/mappin_24x24_whitesolid.svg?iar=0","ctaLinkText":"More About This Location","ctaLink":"https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/locations/boston"},"itemId":"https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/locations/boston"},{"title":"Shriners Hospitals for Children Canada","image":"https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/shrinershosf393-shriners4ad9-prodb963-58d8/media/project/shriners/shc/migration-images/related-locations-dropdown-carousel/canada-hospital-exterior-961x640-65566-ashx.jpeg?h=640&iar=0&w=961","imageAlt":"canada-hospital-exterior-961x640-65566-ashx","text":"Pediatric specialty care for children throughout Montreal and beyond","ctaItem":{"ctaLinkIcon":"https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/shrinershosf393-shriners4ad9-prodb963-58d8/media/icons/si-nonhero-icons-_-24x24px/solid-white-_-24x24px/mappin_24x24_whitesolid.svg?iar=0","ctaLinkText":"More About This Location","ctaLink":"https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/locations/canada"},"itemId":"https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/locations/canada"},{"title":"Shriners Children's Chicago","image":"https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/shrinershosf393-shriners4ad9-prodb963-58d8/media/project/shriners/shc/migration-images/related-locations-dropdown-carousel/chicago-hospital-exterior-961x640-65608-ashx.jpeg?h=640&iar=0&w=961","imageAlt":"chicago-hospital-exterior-961x640-65608-ashx","text":"Pediatric specialty care for children throughout Illinois and beyond","ctaItem":{"ctaLinkIcon":"https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/shrinershosf393-shriners4ad9-prodb963-58d8/media/icons/si-nonhero-icons-_-24x24px/solid-white-_-24x24px/mappin_24x24_whitesolid.svg?iar=0","ctaLinkText":"More About This Location","ctaLink":"https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/locations/chicago"},"itemId":"https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/locations/chicago"},{"title":"Shriners Children's Hawaiʻi","image":"https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/shrinershosf393-shriners4ad9-prodb963-58d8/media/project/shriners/shc/migration-images/related-locations-dropdown-carousel/honolulu-hospital-exterior-961x640-284-ashx.jpeg?h=640&iar=0&w=961","imageAlt":"honolulu-hospital-exterior-961x640-284-ashx","text":"Pediatric specialty care for children throughout Hawaiʻi and beyond","ctaItem":{"ctaLinkIcon":"https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/shrinershosf393-shriners4ad9-prodb963-58d8/media/icons/si-nonhero-icons-_-24x24px/solid-white-_-24x24px/mappin_24x24_whitesolid.svg?iar=0","ctaLinkText":"More About This Location","ctaLink":"https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/locations/hawaii"},"itemId":"https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/locations/hawaii"},{"title":"Shriners Children's Mexico","image":"https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/shrinershosf393-shriners4ad9-prodb963-58d8/media/images/shc/location-entities/mexico/mexico_hospital_exterior_961x640_62500.jpg?h=640&iar=0&w=961","imageAlt":"mexico hospital exterior","text":"Pediatric Specialty Care for children throughout Northern California, Western US, Mexico and Canada","ctaItem":{"ctaLinkIcon":"https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/shrinershosf393-shriners4ad9-prodb963-58d8/media/icons/si-nonhero-icons-_-24x24px/solid-white-_-24x24px/mappin_24x24_whitesolid.svg?iar=0","ctaLinkText":"More About This Location","ctaLink":"https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/locations/mexico"},"itemId":"https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/locations/mexico"},{"title":"Shriners Children's Monterrey Clinic","image":"https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/shrinershosf393-shriners4ad9-prodb963-58d8/media/images/shc/location-entities/mexico/female_patient_female_provider_960x640_247158.jpg?h=640&iar=0&w=960","imageAlt":"female patient with female provider","text":"Shriners Children's Mexico expands its frontiers of specialty medical care and opens its doors in the city of Monterrey.","ctaItem":{"ctaLinkIcon":"https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/shrinershosf393-shriners4ad9-prodb963-58d8/media/icons/si-nonhero-icons-_-24x24px/solid-white-_-24x24px/mappin_24x24_whitesolid.svg?iar=0","ctaLinkText":"More About This Location","ctaLink":"https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/locations/mexico/clinics/monterrey-clinic"},"itemId":"https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/locations/mexico/clinics/monterrey-clinic"},{"title":"Shriners Children's Northern California","image":"https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/shrinershosf393-shriners4ad9-prodb963-58d8/media/project/shriners/shc/migration-images/related-locations-dropdown-carousel/sacramento-building-exterior-961x640-294-ashx.jpeg?h=640&iar=0&w=961","imageAlt":"sacramento-building-exterior-961x640-294-ashx","text":"Pediatric specialty care for children throughout Northern California, Western U.S., Northwestern Mexico and Canada","ctaItem":{"ctaLinkIcon":"https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/shrinershosf393-shriners4ad9-prodb963-58d8/media/icons/si-nonhero-icons-_-24x24px/solid-white-_-24x24px/mappin_24x24_whitesolid.svg?iar=0","ctaLinkText":"More About This Location","ctaLink":"https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/locations/northern-california"},"itemId":"https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/locations/northern-california"},{"title":"Shriners Children's Ohio","image":"https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/shrinershosf393-shriners4ad9-prodb963-58d8/media/project/shriners/shc/migration-images/related-locations-dropdown-carousel/shriners-childrens-ohio-lobby-960x640-ashx.jpeg?h=640&iar=0&w=960","imageAlt":"shriners-childrens-ohio-lobby-960x640-ashx","text":"Pediatric specialty care for children throughout Ohio and beyond","ctaItem":{"ctaLinkIcon":"https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/shrinershosf393-shriners4ad9-prodb963-58d8/media/icons/si-nonhero-icons-_-24x24px/solid-white-_-24x24px/mappin_24x24_whitesolid.svg?iar=0","ctaLinkText":"More About This Location","ctaLink":"https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/locations/ohio"},"itemId":"https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/locations/ohio"},{"title":"Shriners Children's Portland","image":"https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/shrinershosf393-shriners4ad9-prodb963-58d8/media/project/shriners/shc/migration-images/related-locations-dropdown-carousel/portland-building-exterior-961x640-63358-ashx.jpeg?h=640&iar=0&w=961","imageAlt":"portland-building-exterior-961x640-63358-ashx","text":"Pediatric specialty care for children throughout Oregon and beyond","ctaItem":{"ctaLinkIcon":"https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/shrinershosf393-shriners4ad9-prodb963-58d8/media/icons/si-nonhero-icons-_-24x24px/solid-white-_-24x24px/mappin_24x24_whitesolid.svg?iar=0","ctaLinkText":"More About This Location","ctaLink":"https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/locations/portland"},"itemId":"https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/locations/portland"},{"title":"Shriners Children's Southern California","image":"https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/shrinershosf393-shriners4ad9-prodb963-58d8/media/project/shriners/shc/migration-images/related-locations-dropdown-carousel/front-of-building-961x640-60428-ashx.jpeg?h=640&iar=0&w=961","imageAlt":"front-of-building-961x640-60428-ashx","text":"Pediatric specialty care for children throughout California and beyond","ctaItem":{"ctaLinkIcon":"https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/shrinershosf393-shriners4ad9-prodb963-58d8/media/icons/si-nonhero-icons-_-24x24px/solid-white-_-24x24px/mappin_24x24_whitesolid.svg?iar=0","ctaLinkText":"More About This Location","ctaLink":"https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/locations/southern-california"},"itemId":"https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/locations/southern-california"},{"title":"Shriners Children's Spokane","image":"https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/shrinershosf393-shriners4ad9-prodb963-58d8/media/project/shriners/shc/migration-images/related-locations-dropdown-carousel/spokane-building-exterior-961x640-2011-ashx.jpeg?h=640&iar=0&w=961","imageAlt":"spokane-building-exterior-961x640-2011-ashx","text":"Pediatric specialty care for children throughout Washington and beyond","ctaItem":{"ctaLinkIcon":"https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/shrinershosf393-shriners4ad9-prodb963-58d8/media/icons/si-nonhero-icons-_-24x24px/solid-white-_-24x24px/mappin_24x24_whitesolid.svg?iar=0","ctaLinkText":"More About This Location","ctaLink":"https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/locations/spokane"},"itemId":"https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/locations/spokane"},{"title":"Shriners Children's St. Louis","image":"https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/shrinershosf393-shriners4ad9-prodb963-58d8/media/project/shriners/shc/migration-images/related-locations-dropdown-carousel/st-louis-hospital-exterior-961x640-298-ashx.jpeg?h=640&iar=0&w=961","imageAlt":"st-louis-hospital-exterior-961x640-298-ashx","text":"Pediatric specialty care for children throughout Missouri and beyond","ctaItem":{"ctaLinkIcon":"https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/shrinershosf393-shriners4ad9-prodb963-58d8/media/icons/si-nonhero-icons-_-24x24px/solid-white-_-24x24px/mappin_24x24_whitesolid.svg?iar=0","ctaLinkText":"More About This Location","ctaLink":"https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/locations/st-louis"},"itemId":"https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/locations/st-louis"},{"title":"Shriners Children's Texas","image":"https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/shrinershosf393-shriners4ad9-prodb963-58d8/media/project/shriners/shc/migration-images/related-locations-dropdown-carousel/texas-building-exterior-961x640-63296-ashx.jpeg?h=640&iar=0&w=961","imageAlt":"texas-building-exterior-961x640-63296-ashx","text":"Pediatric specialty care for children throughout Texas and beyond","ctaItem":{"ctaLinkIcon":"https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/shrinershosf393-shriners4ad9-prodb963-58d8/media/icons/si-nonhero-icons-_-24x24px/solid-white-_-24x24px/mappin_24x24_whitesolid.svg?iar=0","ctaLinkText":"More About This Location","ctaLink":"https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/locations/texas"},"itemId":"https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/locations/texas"},{"title":"Shriners Children's Tijuana Clinic","image":"https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/shrinershosf393-shriners4ad9-prodb963-58d8/media/images/shc/location-entities/southern-california/hospital_angeles_hospital_exterior_961x640_42017.jpg?h=640&iar=0&w=961","imageAlt":"Hospital Angeles Tijuana building exterior","text":"The Shriners Children's Tijuana Clinic is convenient for those who live in Baja California, Mexico.","ctaItem":{"ctaLinkIcon":"https://edge.sitecorecloud.io/shrinershosf393-shriners4ad9-prodb963-58d8/media/icons/si-nonhero-icons-_-24x24px/solid-white-_-24x24px/mappin_24x24_whitesolid.svg?iar=0","ctaLinkText":"More About This Location","ctaLink":"https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/locations/mexico/clinics/tijuana-clinic"},"itemId":"https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en/locations/mexico/clinics/tijuana-clinic"}]}

Laser Surgery for Scar Improvement and Reduction

With surgery, the appearance of burn scarring may be improved. Additionally, laser surgery may improve mobility caused by growth and hypertrophic, or raised scarring.

Learn about the Laser Surgery treatment

Innovative Treatments

Laser Surgery

Shriners Children's uses innovative laser surgery to treat scars, resulting in the best outcomes and overall experience for your child.

male-physician-girl-mom-961x640-76759-ashx

Plastic Surgery

Shriners Children’s experienced pediatric plastic surgeons use reconstructive plastic surgery techniques to bring hope and healing to families dealing with differences involving the face, jaw, eyelids, ears, breasts or skin.

Revision Surgeries

Severe burns may require surgeries to improve mobility, functionality and reduce the appearance of scars. At Shriners Children’s this is part of a comprehensive care plan developed for your child.

Reconstructive Surgery

Shriners Children’s provides innovative, personalized care for children with reconstructive needs.

Scar Management

As burn wounds heal, Shriners Children’s will develop a scar management plan tailored to your child’s needs. Laser technology is very effective at reducing scars and improving their overall appearance.

Skin Grafting

Shriners Children’s is advancing care and healing for children with burns. When a part of the body loses its protective covering, we can perform skin grafting, which is a transplantation of skin from one area of the body to another.