RecruitingPhase 3NCT07336368

Topical Cryotherapy and Keloid/Hypertrophic Scars

Topical Cryotherapy to Reduce Pain During Steroid Injections for Keloid and Hypertrophic Scars: A Pilot Study


Sponsor

Sonal Choudhary

Enrollment

30 participants

Start Date

Mar 1, 2026

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Conditions

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to determine whether the application of brief topical cryotherapy immediately before intralesional corticosteroid injections can reduce pain and injection resistance during routine treatment of keloid and hypertrophic scars in adult patients. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does topical cryotherapy applied before intralesional triamcinolone injection impact pain perceptions for participants with keloids or hypertrophic scars? Does topical cryotherapy affect provider-assessed injection resistance compared with standard injection alone? Researchers will split the keloid/hypertrophic scar into two halves. One half will be treated with cryotherapy followed by steroid injection, while the other half will be treated with steroid injection alone to evaluate differences in pain perception and injection resistance. Participants will rate pain after each injection using a 10-point numeric pain scale. Clinicians will rate the resistance after each injection using a 10-point numeric scale.


Eligibility

Min Age: 18 Years

Inclusion Criteria3

  • Adults (≥18 years) with keloids or hypertrophic scars already scheduled to receive intralesional triamcinolone (TAC) as part of routine care.
  • At least one keloid or hypertrophic scar with two comparable regions (≥2 cm each) suitable for split-treatment.
  • Able to provide informed consent and complete pain assessments in English.

Exclusion Criteria3

  • Keloid or hypertrophic scar located on the face (except earlobes), excluded for cosmetic reasons.
  • Prior treatment to the study-selected keloid/hypertrophic scar based on self-report.
  • Inability to complete study assessments due to cognitive or language barriers.

Interested in this trial?

Get notified about updates and connect with the research team.

Interventions

DEVICECryotherapy with liquid nitrogen

liquid nitrogen spray (\~10 seconds)

DRUGIntralesional Triamcinolone 10 mg/ml

Intralesional triamcinolone


Locations(1)

University of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

View Full Details on ClinicalTrials.gov

For the most up-to-date information, visit the official listing.

Visit

NCT07336368