REVIEW article
Front. Physiol.
Sec. Skin Physiology
Volume 16 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/fphys.2025.1627798
Burn Scar Pain: From Mechanisms to Treatments
Provisionally accepted
- 1Department of Burns, First People’s Hospital of Shangqiu City, Henan Province, China 476100, Shangqiu, China
- 2Department of Burns, First People’s Hospital of Shangqiu City, Shangqiu, China
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Chronic scars and pain following burns not only impair patients' quality of life but also resist current empirical treatments, highlighting an urgent need for mechanism-based therapies. Early studies have characterized key mediators of scar fibrosis and nociception, yet integration of molecular and neural pathways remains limited. Here, we comprehensively review (1) molecular and cellular drivers of burn scar formation—particularly transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)–induced fibroblast activation and extracellular matrix remodeling; (2) bidirectional interactions between scar tissue and nerve regeneration via neuropeptides (Nerve growth factor, Substance P, calcitonin gene-related peptide); (3) mechanisms underpinning long-term scar pain, including peripheral/central sensitization through TRPV1/Nav channels and neuroinflammation; and (4) emerging treatments—such as laser, extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT), regenerative injections, and transient receptor potential (TRP) antagonists—that target these pathways. We conclude that a detailed understanding of scar–nerve crosstalk at the molecular level is pivotal for developing targeted interventions and improving long-term outcomes.
Keywords: Burns, Management, Pain, Scars (Cicatrix), Treatment
Received: 13 May 2025; Accepted: 08 Sep 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Zhao. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Minjuan Zhao, Department of Burns, First People’s Hospital of Shangqiu City, Henan Province, China 476100, Shangqiu, China
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