WAFF.com: North Alabama News, Radar, Weather, Sports and Jobs-Study Suggests Epilepsy Drug May Help Heal Scars

Study Suggests Epilepsy Drug May Help Heal Scars

Psychiatrists say scars and poorly healed wounds can cause lowered self-esteem in patients after life-changing operations or cases of severe acne. Yet some alternative therapies designed to help scars heal have little apparent effect.

Now a University of Florida study suggests that tiny doses of a drug used to treat epilepsy might actually help old scars heal, even years after doctors have stitched-up a wound.

Researchers studied patients who had scars at least two years old. After three months on small doses of the drug Topiramate their scars showed mild to great improvement according to independent physicians who reviewed comparative photographs of the scars.

The study patients had previously used other therapies to try and heal their wounds with little reported healing or improvement of their scars.

Researchers say Topiramate might one day be an effective component of a topical ointment but such a treatment is potentially years away.

Nathan Shapira, M.D., psychiatrist, University of Florida said,  "Wounds on these individuals seemed to heal faster and old wounds, or scars, appeared to lighten and thin fairly rapidly at low dosages of this particular medication."

"This represents a potential new avenue of treatment and certainly over time as we understand the mechanism of this better, it might open up even further treatments."