Scar Free Appeal

The Scar Free Christmas Appeal 2023

January 29, 2024

We absolutely smashed our target for our Scar Free Christmas Appeal 2023! Your generosity means we can fund even more ground-breaking new research into scar free healing, changing the lives of millions of people with life-changing scarring worldwide.

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A Year in Review: 2023

December 12, 2023

2023 has been a momentous year for The Scar Free Foundation. We look back at some of our achievements from the last year, and anticipate exciting developments in 2024.

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Annual Update Event and Ambassador Tea 2023

October 26, 2023

Every year, The Scar Free Foundation invites supporters to learn more about our research at our Annual Update Event. Two things made this year’s event extra special – not only was it our new Chief Executive’s first event at the helm, but before the event we invited our Ambassadors to an Afternoon Tea with our Board of Trustees.

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Donation Announcement Website

Announcing the Scar Free Appeal: Faster Breakthroughs in Research

October 26, 2023

Mark your Christmas calendars and make a difference like never before - for one week between the 28th November and the 5th December, all donations to The Scar Free Foundation via the Big Give website will be doubled!

We hope to raise a total of £40,000 to fund vital medical research into scarring.

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News Website

Peter's Fundraising Story

October 05, 2023

1000 miles, 14 days, and over £3000 raised for the Scar Free Foundation!

Scar Free Supporter Peter Homa cycled the famous LeJog route in August to raise money for The Scar Free Foundation. His epic journey started in Land’s End in Cornwall and finished at John O’Groats in the Scottish Highlands, with lots of hills to climb along the way!

Now that he’s had some time to recover, Peter shares his favourite parts of the journey, his motivation on the road, and why he wanted to support the Scar Free Foundation.


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What is Patient Involvement in Research? Ambassador Rachel Explains

August 29, 2023

Patient and public involvement (PPI) is at the heart of our research strategy. Since 1999, The Scar Free Foundation has had support and guidance from experts by experience. Rachel McDermott, Scar Free Foundation Ambassador and member of the Research Council, shared her experience of her involvement with the Foundation.

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The 2023 Scar Free Foundation Electives

May 26, 2023

Since 2004 The Scar Free Foundation has run student electives in association with our Principal Member Organisations; the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS), the British Burn Association (BBA), the Craniofacial Society of Britain and Ireland (CFSGB&I) and the British Society for Surgery of the Hand (BSSH).

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Join the Team!

May 24, 2023

The Scar Free Foundation is recruiting for a social media savvy Communications & Projects Officer, salary FTE £25-£32k with great benefits

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Scar Free Event at The Ministry of Defence

March 03, 2023

In February we were privileged to be invited to the Ministry of Defence in Whitehall, London, to showcase the dynamic research that is underway at our Centre for Conflict Wound Research in Birmingham.

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Scar Free Families

January 23, 2023

The mission of The Scar Free Foundation is to achieve scar free healing within a generation and transform the lives of those affected by disfiguring conditions.

Scarring affects not just those living with the injury but their family, friends, and support network.

Earlier we spoke to our Young Ambassadors Elizabeth and Delilah – and their siblings.


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A Year in Review : 2022

December 14, 2022

This year has been an exciting time for The Scar Free Foundation. With our national programmes of research now well underway, we take a look back at what we have achieved in 2022.

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Scar Free Update Event 2022

December 14, 2022

Each year we invite Scar Free supporters to learn more about the research that has taken place in the year. In addition, this year we were honoured to hear our young Ambassador, Delilah Care, speak at the event. Delilah, who bravely shared her inspiring experience of life with scarring, showed us all how she will not let her scars stop her from doing anything – but how the work the Foundation is doing is so important.

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Scar Free Ambassador Event 2022

December 14, 2022

The lived experienced voice of our Ambassadors and people living with scars lies at the heart of all that we do. In October 2022 we brought together our Ambassadors and scar free researchers to discuss the pioneering the research that is taking place and how this will improve the lives of people affected by scarring in the future.

We filmed behind the scenes footage, and took photos, of some of the conversations that were had at this years Ambassador event. We will ber eleasing the videos thorughout the next few months to highlight not only the increadible work that takes place, but the impact it will have on all those affected by scarring.

Below you can watch to conversations. One with Ambassador and Trusteee Hemani Modasiah-Shah speaking to Tom Jovic, Scar Free Researcher at Swansea University and the other an open conversation with Ambassador's Dan Jackson and Lottie Pollak, with Scar Free Researchers Professor Janet Lord and Dr Ricard Moakes.

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Celebrating The Cleft Collective

November 23, 2022

Just a few months after we celebrated the Cleft Collective’s 10-year Anniversary, we are absolutely thrilled to report that the 10,000th participant – five-year old Elsie – has been recruited to the study, the world's largest research programme in cleft lip and palate.

To celebrate this achievement, we have made a special episode of The Scar Free Foundation Podcast featuring Dr Yvonne Wren (pictured above), Chief Investigator of the Cleft Collective about the incredible research that she and the team are doing at the University of Bristol.

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A Special Thank You to the Edward Cadbury Charitable Trust

October 16, 2022

We are enormously grateful to The Edward Cadbury Charitable Trust for supporting essential equipment and material costs for our work at The Scar Free Foundation Centre for Conflict Wound Research in Birmingham.

Their donation of vital equipment will mean that, in the future, people with traumatic injuries will have access to evidence-based, targeted, pro-healing treatments.

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Professor Amber Young – A Personal Reflection

September 22, 2022

Amber Young, who has passed away tragically young, was a much loved and respected member of the Scar Free family. Others, more qualified and familiar with her deeply impressive career and personal attributes, will write glowingly of Amber’s achievements. For us, at The Scar Free Foundation, she was one of the most passionate, deeply committed and caring clinicians and researchers we have ever had the pleasure to work with.

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Refreshed Research Strategy

September 07, 2022

“Scar free healing within a generation…that’s what we’re about. Trying to understand the scarring process and, in doing so, prevent it.”

Professor Janet Lord, Principal Investigator, The Scar Free Foundation Centre for Conflict Wound Research, Birmingham.

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My Life in Research

June 20, 2022

For almost 20 years, The Scar Free Foundation has been running our brilliant Student Elective scheme in partnership with the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS), the British Burn Association (BBA), the British Psychological Society, the Craniofacial Society of Great Britain and Ireland, the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) and the British Society for Surgery of the Hand (BSSH).

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An Ambassador Audience with Professor Paul Martin

June 09, 2022

Scar Free Researcher Paul Martin, Professor of Cell Biology, and his dedicated and passionate team met with our Ambassadors to discuss the incredible research that is taking place at The University of Bristol to identify the gene(s) that causes scarring and inform future treatments.

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Royal visit to life-changing scar free research programme

March 10, 2022

Our Royal Patron, HRH The Countess of Wessex, visited the world-leading facial reconstruction research programme based at Swansea University, meeting researchers to learn more about the study, and our Ambassadors who could benefit from the pioneering research.

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OUR AMBASSADORS MEET DR ADAM REID

March 09, 2022

Dr Adam Reid - a scar free researcher and Research Council member - is a plastic surgeon who treated survivors of the Manchester Arena terrorist attack. In an exclusive meeting with our Ambassadors, Dr Reid spoke about plastic surgery, nerve regeneration and how people with scarring are at the heart of his research.

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Afternoon Tea with our Patron HRH The Countess of Wessex & Young Ambassadors

November 18, 2021

“I am so grateful to have you helping to educate and inform people about the problems of scarring. Your knowledge is power and you are helping The Scar Free Foundation to make people more aware by sharing your stories. It’s important that people see the person, not just the scars.”

- HRH The Countess of Wessex, 16 Nov 21

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Celebrating our partnerships

November 05, 2021

Thanks to the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust, we’re delivering exciting new research that will help improve the long-term physical health of injured veterans.

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The Scar Free Foundation Ambassadors' Event 2021

November 05, 2021

Behind every scar, there's a story. People living with scarring are at the heart of all that we do. We recently hosted our annual Ambassadors' Event to celebrate our successes, share our news and involve people living with scarring in our plans for 2022 and beyond.

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Scar Free Virtual Reality Experience

November 04, 2021


The Scar Free Foundation is using Virtual Reality (VR) to bring the research we do and the experiences of veteran Ambassadors to life, as we mark the three-year anniversary of The Scar Free Foundation Centre for Conflict Wound Research in Birmingham and Bristol.


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The Scar Free Foundation Hybrid Update Event 2021

October 13, 2021

Recently we held our first hybrid Annual Update event. The event was attended by over 50 Scar Free supporters, researchers and Ambassadors and took place in our new, recently re-opened base and the ‘home of surgery’, The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The event was also broadcast live and over 200 additional friends and family of the Foundation tuned in virtually.

Our event provided a unique insight into the problems of scarring and the pioneering research we are funding to achieve our mission: to achieve scar free healing within a generation and transform the lives of those affected by disfiguring conditions.


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Could you be our champion?

July 28, 2021

We’re working hard to invest more funds in research that will change lives. For the first time we will be taking part in The Big Give Christmas Challenge, and although the festivities might seem distant, we need your help now! We’re looking for Champions like you, to help us double the difference. Find out more about what 3D printing, Christmas and you, have in common!

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Land’s End to John O’Groats for The Scar Free Foundation

July 28, 2021

To mark my retirement from the Army, I decided to cycle from Land’s End to John O’Groats. This 14-day, 992-mile epic takes in some of the most stunning countryside in Britain but also features over 56,000 metres of climbing, 19% of which are defined as severe. What can I say? I like a challenge! To add a little more jeopardy, the ride was in aid of The Scar Free Foundation and the amazing research I hear so much about.

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The Garfield Weston Foundation

April 02, 2021

The Trustees of the Garfield Weston Foundation, one of the UK’s most established charity grant makers, have supported the work of The Scar Free Foundation for more than 10 years. Most recently, the Trust has agreed a generous grant to support life-changing research at The Scar Free Foundation Centre for Conflict Wound Research towards our innovative DeScar project.

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Our Ambassadors

April 02, 2021

Our Scar Free Ambassadors never cease to inspire us, stories and experiences like theirs are the driving force behind our mission. The Foundation supports their engagement with exclusive events and news on our developments, which is why, on the 24 February 2021, 20 of our Ambassadors joined an Audience with Professor Janet Lord in our first ‘meet the expert’ event.

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International Women's Day

March 08, 2021

Today is International Women’s Day, and to celebrate we’re taking the opportunity to introduce you to some of the amazing women involved in our mission to eliminate scarring within a generation.

From our inspiring Ambassadors who bravely share their stories to clinicians and researchers pushing the boundaries of science find out more about some of the women who make the prospect of scar free healing possible.

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SCAR FREE RESEARCH: A YEAR IN REVIEW

December 18, 2020

Whilst this year has made medical research somewhat challenging, we are so pleased to have been able to continue Scar Free research at pace, despite some pauses over lockdown.

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The Scar Free Foundation launches world’s first research programme to identify scarring gene

November 26, 2020

A world-leading £1.5 million research programme that aims to achieve scar free healing within a generation has been launched today, 26th November, by The Scar Free Foundation, the only medical research charity which focuses solely on scarring. The five-year research study led by the University of Bristol will identify the gene(s) that causes scarring and inform future treatments.

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SafeTea Paper Published in the Injury Prevention Journal

October 28, 2020

Last year, The Scar Free Foundation supported a national campaign that aimed to reduce the number and severity of burn injuries caused to babies and young children by hot drinks. The Scar Free Foundation Centre for Children’s Burns Research at the Universities of Bristol and Cardiff conducted a research project to understand the causes of burns and scalds to children. On the basis of the findings of a high prevalence of hot drink scalds in babies and toddlers together with poor knowledge of the importance of early first aid, the SafeTea campaign was born; sponsored generously by the Worshipful Company of Tin Plate workers alias Wire Workers, and co-funded by Health and Care Research Wales (Welsh Government), The Vocational Training Charitable Trust and the British Burn Association.

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Annual Update

The Scar Free Foundation Virtual Annual Update Event

October 19, 2020

We recently held our virtual Annual Update event, for the first time this year, entirely online. The event offered the Foundation’s supporters, researchers and Ambassadors an insight into the past years’ activity and our plans for future research.

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Annual Update

THE SCAR FREE FOUNDATION ANNUAL UPDATE 2020

October 08, 2020

We recently held our virtual Annual Update event, this year online. The event offered the Foundation’s supporters, researchers and Ambassadors an insight into the past years’ activity. We featured presentations from Dr Richard Williams (The Scar Free Foundation Centre for Conflict Wound Research), Professor Iain Whitaker (Swansea University Medical School) and Mr Justyn Hollett (Ambassador for The Scar Free Foundation, and mental health advocate).

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Irie's poem: National Poetry Day

October 02, 2020

To celebrate National Poetry Day 2020 yesterday, our amazing Ambassador Irie wrote a poem about why she became involved with The Scar Free Foundation. Her beautiful and powerful words highlight the impact that scarring has not only on those that have scarring, but also on their family and friends.

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Sepsis Awareness Month: Jaco's Story

September 30, 2020

Sepsis is a life threatening illness caused by the immune system’s overreaction to an infection. 40% of all sepsis survivors experience permanent, lifechanging after-effects of the illness, including loss of tissue and even limbs. The psychological and physical issues can be devastating. In some cases of sepsis, people can be left with life-long scarring often requiring substantial skin grafts to counteract skin tightness caused by the restrictive scars.

To highlight the severity of the illness, sepsis awareness month takes place every September. As sepsis awareness month draws to an end, our Scar Free Ambassador, Jaco, tells us his story.

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UNITS study publishes their first journal article

August 11, 2020

A major project from The Scar Free Foundation Centre for Conflict Wound Research, aimed at supporting veterans with appearance-altering injuries, hits a major milestone achievement this month with the publication of an important output from the early stages of the research.

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My Lockdown Journey

July 10, 2020

Lockdown measures gave us considerably more time alone, and removed many of the distractions that we have built our lives around. Our Ambassador, India, told us how isolation affected her mental health, along with how she coped.

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Research Through and Beyond Lockdown

July 10, 2020

Although the COVID-19 crisis has caused much of our lab based research and clinical trials to pause, much of our research has continued from lockdown including the UNITS (Understanding Needs and Interventions for the Treatment of Scarring) study, part of The Scar Free Foundation Centre for Conflict Wound Research.

We spoke with one of the members of the study team Dr Mary Keeling, Senior Research Fellow, at the Centre for Appearance Research (CAR), University of the West of England to find out more about how the team has continued working through the pandemic, and what the next few months hold.

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Child Safety Week

June 02, 2020

This week is Child Safety Week, run by the Child Accident Prevention Trust, which aims to raise awareness of the causes of children’s accidents, and how they can be avoided. Due to COVID-19, the focus is on how to keep children safe in lockdown, and also as lockdown slowly eases.

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Why self-isolation is normal for me and many others

May 18, 2020

Izzy Brown - Research and Communications Officer

Many people are aware of the physical and psychological impact of visible scarring, but internal scarring in the form of fibrosis presents its own sinister hidden issues. Whilst the pandemic has brought self-isolation and social distancing measures to the fore, many who have long term health conditions, or have experienced a life changing injury have been practicing these measures for years.

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Managing Research Under Lockdown

May 18, 2020

With most university campuses closed and only essential COVID-19 research proceeding in hospitals and labs, much Scar Free Foundation-funded research has had to pause for the past seven weeks. While it is currently unclear when all our work will be up and running again, a number of our researchers are continuing to work from home, including staff from The Scar Free Foundation Cleft Gene Bank and Cohort Study.

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Calling Veterans and Civilians to Participate in Conflict Wound Research

April 09, 2020

Researchers at the University of the West of England undertaking the UNITS (Understanding Needs and Interventions For Treatment of Scarring) project, one of the projects of the Scar Free Foundation Centre for Conflict Wound Research, are are currently inviting veterans and members of the general public who have had an injury that has changed their appearance to complete an online questionnaire. Taking part will help us understand the psychological experience of appearance altering injuries and develop evidence based support.

If you are a veteran injured during operational deployment or deployment training since 1969 and that injured changed your appearance (such as having scars and / or limb loss) and would like to take part, please click here to complete an online questionnaire.

If you are a member of the public who has scars and / or limb loss due to an injury or accident and would like to take part, please click here to complete an online questionnaire.

Please also share with anyone you think might be interested. For any questions about the study please email the research team [email protected].

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20 Years of Scar Free

December 15, 2019

This December marks 20 years since the founding of The Scar Free Foundation (formerly the Healing Foundation). To celebrate this milestone, our Patron HRH The Countess of Wessex kindly hosted an afternoon tea at Buckingham Palace.

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Scar Free Update Event

December 12, 2019

This autumn, we hosted our annual update event at the Royal College of Surgeons. The afternoon offered supporters and guests an overview of our Scar Free projects and also provided the perfect opportunity to premier our new Scar Free Ambassador video.

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A Year in Review

December 10, 2019

This year has been an exciting yet busy time for The Scar Free Foundation. With our national programme of research now well underway, we take a look back at what we have achieved in 2019.

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Media Release - Scar Free Foundation Announces Plans For New Burns Scarring Research

November 21, 2019

Scarring affects over 20 million people in the UK*, according to new figures released today by The Scar Free Foundation. Yet the findings reveal that scarring is not talked about enough in our society and there is still a lack of public awareness of the physical – as well as emotional – impact that scarring can have on people.

One of the most common causes of scarring is burn injury, with 64,000** children seeking medical treatment in the UK alone last year, and yet it is an area of medical research that has been critically underfunded.

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‘SafeTea’ campaign launches on National Burns Awareness Day

October 16, 2019

The Scar Free Foundation is supporting a national campaign aimed at reducing the number and severity of injuries caused to babies and young children by hot drinks. The Scar Free Foundation Centre for Children’s Burns Research at the Universities of Bristol and Cardiff undertook research into the causes of burns and scalds to children. The findings form the basis of the campaign which was made possible by a generous grant from the Worshipful Company of Tin Plate Workers alias Wire Workers of the City of London and co-funding from Health and Care Research Wales.

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Scar Free Drinks Reception in Whitehall

October 08, 2019

Earlier this month, in a venue filled with rich nautical, military and political history, we held a drinks reception to showcase our important work with the Armed Forces and the Veteran community.

We spoke to CASEVAC Club Manager Anna Boggi, who told us more about the evening and why she agreed to share her story.


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Research Update: The Safe Tea Campaign

October 08, 2019

The Safe Tea Campaign is a national campaign to prevent childhood hot drink scalds and promote first aid care to parents.

Funded by The Worshipful Company of Tin Plate Workers, VTCT Foundation and Health and Care Research Wales, and led by the University of Cardiff and the University of Bristol, the Campaign will launch on 16 October this year to coincide with Burns Awareness Day.

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Introducing Hemani: Our Loyal Ambassador

July 04, 2019

Our Scar Free Ambassador Hemani Modasia (pictured, second from right) was first introduced to The Scar Free Foundation just before she started medical school in 2006. Thirteen years later and now a qualified doctor working in a busy GP practice, Hemani is one of our longest-serving Ambassadors and a dedicated Scar Free supporter.

We caught up with Hemani to find out more about her time as an Ambassador, what she thought about last month's Involvement Reception and why our scar free mission is so important; both to her personally and for her profession.

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Annual Involvement Reception

July 04, 2019

On a sunny Saturday in June, The Scar Free Foundation hosted its second annual Involvement Reception at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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His Royal Highness The Duke of Sussex Visits Centre for Conflict Wound Research

April 04, 2019

His Royal Highness The Duke of Sussex visited The Scar Free Foundation Centre for Conflict Wound Research, at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, last month.

His Royal Highness observed our scar free research, including an anti-scarring gel dressing for use in austere environments and was particularly interested in how we collaborate with key partners to address the challenges in acute care, long-term impact and psychological effects of conflict related injuries.

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Veterans' Psychological Study

April 04, 2019

The UNITS Study (Understanding Needs and Interventions For Treatment of Scarring) is a psychological project which seeks to identify the best way to support serving and ex-serving personnel and their families whose appearance has been affected by a conflict related injury.

The Study, led by the Centre for Appearance Research at the University of the West of England, is one of the projects underway at The Scar Free Foundation Centre for Conflict Wound Research.

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Call For Participants For Conflict Wound Appearance Study

March 05, 2019

Following His Royal Highness The Duke of Sussex's recent visit to The Scar Free Foundation Centre for Conflict Wound Research, we are calling on ex-serving personnel who have sustained an appearance altering injury whilst in military conflict to take part in an important psychological project.

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