This study is designed to evaluate the efficacy of laser treatment for the improvement of the clinical appearance of disorders of collagen metabolism, including hypertrophic scars and scleroderma. The investigators will be performing a prospective cohort study. The entire lesion will receive laser treatment only.~The investigators plan to have 20 patients (10 patients with hypertrophic scars and 10 patients with scleroderma) complete the study.~Subjects must be equal to greater than 18 years old, but may be any gender or Fitzpatrick skin type. They must have one of the following: at least one extragenital hypertrophic scar, or at least one extragenital area of scleroderma . Subjects must not have received any prescription or in-clinic medications or treatments, such as intralesional corticosteroids or excision, on the eligible scars/scleroderma in the previous 3 months. Those on anti-inflammatory or immunosuppressive medications will also be excluded.
In this study, the investigators seek to evaluate the effects of a laser treatment on the redistribution/regeneration of collagen on the clinical, microscopic, and molecular profiles of hypertrophic scars and scleroderma.