Traditional scar research has historically prioritized clinician-driven outcomes, often neglecting patient-identified needs and real-world experiences. This narrative review synthesizes developments in patient-powered innovation across scar research, drawing from the last decade of literature on patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), real-world data, digital health tools, and participatory models. Increased adoption of PROMs (e.g., Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale 3.0 and SCAR-Q), crowdsourced initiatives, and digital tools (e.g., ScarPath, smartphone apps, and AI-based assessments) are transforming scar research and management by centering patient priorities. Patient-powered approaches-through digital tools, crowdsourcing, and participatory research-are reshaping scar care by promoting real-world engagement and more meaningful, personalized outcomes.
ContributorsK J P Maertens, T Demarbaix, J Meirte, U Van Daele, P Moortgat
Disease Category: Skin
Disease Name: Scar
Age Range: 0 - 120
Sex: Either
Nature of Intervention: Any
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