Keloid Treatments

Scars are a long-term side effect of any injury, capable of creating cosmetic difficulties for years. Yet while most scars are generally unobtrusive, keloid scars are distinctive in that they are painful, hard to treat and very noticeable. Understanding the preventive and treatment options helps to avoid the damage done by keloids.

Basics

• Keloid scars are a type of scar that has toughened and risen above the skin, extending beyond the limits of the original wound. Characterized by a smooth top and reddish hue, these irregularly shaped scars enlarge instead of shrinking over time. Aside from the physical distortion, the scars are tender, itchy and painful to the touch. Keloids most often appear on the shoulders, back, chest, and earlobes, or jawline, though rarely on the face.

Causes

• Keloid scars are difficult to predict and trace, but it is thought that they occur when changes occur in cellular signals controlling growth. The condition is thought to be genetic. In any case, the keloid scar appears after surgery or injury, after an inflammation of the skin such as acne or over sites of burns or piercings.

Treatments

• The ineffective nature of many of the treatments for keloids means that prevention is vital, so applying moisturizer, massaging the scar, and wearing form-fit clothing all help to prevent keloids. However, if the keloid scar has formed, several options are available. Cortisone injections can help diminish them, although the injection may stimulate blood vessels around the scar and give it a redder color. Surgery is also an option, though without knowledge of exactly what causes the keloids there is a risk that more could develop. Laser treatment, silicone sheets or cryotherapy (freezing with liquid nitrogen) also help, though all three may leave other discolorations and marks on the skin.