The application of corticosteroids for pathological scar prevention and treatment: current review and update

The prevention and treatment of pathological scars remain challenging. Corticosteroids are the mainstay drugs in clinical scar prevention and treatment as they effectively induce scar regression and improve scar pruritus and pain. Currently, intralesional injections of corticosteroids are widely used in clinical practice. These require professional medical manipulation; however, the significant accompanying injection pain, repetition of injections and adverse effects, such as skin atrophy, skin pigmentation and telangiectasia, make this treatment modality an unpleasant experience for patients. Transdermal administration is, therefore, a promising non-invasive and easy-to-use method for corticosteroid administration for scar treatment. In this review, we first summarize the mechanisms of action of corticosteroids in scar prevention and treatment; then, we discuss current developments in intralesional injections and the progress of transdermal delivery systems of corticosteroids, as well as their corresponding advantages and disadvantages.