Vancouver Scar Scale
Score vascularity, pigmentation, pliability and height (0–13).
Total VSS score
0/14
0 = normal skin; higher scores indicate more scarring. Use the same observer over time to track scar maturation. Education only.
Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS)
The Vancouver Scar Scale is a widely used clinician-rated tool for assessing scars across four parameters. The total (0–13) helps document scar severity and track maturation or treatment response over time.
What the VSS measures
Vascularity (0–3), pigmentation (0–3), pliability (0–5) and height (0–3) are scored and summed; 0 represents normal skin and higher totals indicate more abnormal scarring.
Using the score
Use the same observer and lighting across visits for consistency. The VSS is useful for hypertrophic and burn scars and for comparing treatments such as pressure, silicone or laser.
Education only — a clinical assessment tool, not a treatment decision in itself.