Brown burn scar: appearance and treatment options

After a burn closes, the area may remain darker because inflammation has changed pigment activity. Scar tissue can be flat, thick, firm, shiny, or uneven, and it may feel tight when a joint or other mobile area is involved. Colour and texture can continue to change during healing. A dark flat patch is not the same as a raised contracture, so a clinician will assess flexibility, tenderness, surface integrity, and how the scar affects movement.

Protect the healed area from sunlight and use the moisturising and dressing routine advised by your burn or dermatology team. Do not peel scales or apply unprescribed lightening agents to fragile skin. Once the scar is stable, options may include fractional laser treatment for selected texture or colour concerns, scar revision surgery for a specific contour or functional problem, or a skin graft when damaged tissue needs coverage. These procedures require an examination and a discussion of healing, pigment change, and recurrence of thick scar tissue.

Seek review if the scar becomes more raised, increasingly painful or itchy, cracks, bleeds, drains, develops warmth or spreading redness, or restricts movement. A new blister or open area in an old scar should be checked. Prompt assessment is also sensible when the colour changes quickly or the original wound has not fully healed.

Is the brown colour expected for this stage of healing? Is the scar flat or becoming hypertrophic or tight? Which treatment addresses my main concern, and how will my skin tone and healing history affect the plan?