Introduction:
Every Burn survivor knows: healing and dressing the open wounds after a burn injury is only the first step to recovery. Once the burn survivor is discharged home, the scars need to be addressed. They cause itching and pain, functional impairment because of tightness and contracture and need frequent moisturizer. The first 6 months after wound healing are the most challenging because of increasing contracture and thickness of many of the scars. Usually a physical therapy regimen and compression garments are prescribed, but these only have limited effect on the scarring process.

Methods:
Throughout the past 15 years our burn center has worked with members of the plain community to establish a regimen for scar treatment, now called “the oil therapy”. The outpatient burn center team at LVHN has a general patient and family recommendation catalogue for scar treatment. Caretakers and family members of plain community burn survivors took this very seriously and adapted it over the years to a therapy regimen which includes not only physical and occupational therapy, scar massage, stretching, moisturization and compression, but also emotional support. A group of community members/family members/caretakers goes to the burn survivors’ house 2-3 times a day to perform all these different scar management entities. The procedures will be presented by a caretaker.

Results:
On a physical level, there has been a very minimal amount of scar contractures in survivors who received “the oil therapy”. Reintegration into daily life activities has been achieved for every survivor in this group. Scars mature early and symptoms of pruritus and pain subside quickly. Survivor testimony will be presented.

Conclusion:
The Oil Therapy is a holistic scar management approach that deserves study and replication in other communities.