Also referred to as ‘keloidal scars’, keloids are skin lesions which repair beyond the size of the original cut or wound. They vary in size, shape, and location and occur commonly on the ear lobes, neck, chest, or back and usually occur after an injury or surgery.
What Causes Keloids?
Keloids form as a result of an overgrowth in collagen production during the skin’s healing process. This happens when your collagen and fibroblasts (cells that make skin) go into overdrive and just don’t know when to stop. Nobody knows why this happens but the end result is a lump that is often many times larger than the original scar. Keloids can also develop spontaneously, without any skin injury. Something as simple as a pimple or scratch may give rise to them.
Keloids are generally benign, but they can hurt with pain ranging from needle-like to itchiness. They affect both men and women equally with a much higher frequency (fifteen times higher) in highly pigmented individuals.
Keloid Treatment
No treatment can cure keloids 100%, so the goal in treatment is to minimize its appearance. A range of treatments are available, all with varying degrees of success:
- One of the most effective treatments for keloids is steroid injections directly into the keloid. Treatment is usually repeated once a month for several months. While the keloid won’t disappear, it will flatten and become less noticeable.
- Silicone sheeting and gels. Although nobody knows exactly why this works, studies show that it does. Dermatix C gel – combines silicone with Vitamin C (which in itself can help to produce healthy tissue and minimize darkened patches of skin)
- Laser surgery may be performed by a plastic surgeon or dermatologist. Check to see if this might be the right treatment for you.
Keloid removal surgery can indeed be performed by a plastic surgeon with a variety of techniques. Although it is not specifically a cosmetic procedure, many people are interested in combining skin work with other surgeries such as face lifts or blepharoplasties, especially if the problem keloids appear in the facial area
hi there!…my name is dave and i am a victim of keloids i have then in my chest and back. My question is how much will i be looking at for a laser scar removal surgery, will this be a one time thing?… and will this remove my scars completely?…
Hi Dave, Thanks for your enquiry about keloids and laser surgery. As we specialise in topical treatments rather than surgical ones, and as we don’t have access to your lesions the way a physician would, we would suggest seeing a professional with this question: either your family doctor or your dermatologist would be suitable. Best of luck, Sharmani
I agree with Sharmani. Before jumping on the “surgery” question, you should first consult your physician so you can have a clear idea how to deal with your keloids. There are many factors to determine before you will qualified to undergo surgery.