Keloid Scar Removal: Conditions and Treatment Options
Martha Fitzharris
Keloids are among the most difficult type of scar tissue to treat. They have a high recurrence rate which limits your surgical options. Also, some people experience the type of keloids that just keeping growing.
Fortunately, there are a few treatment options available for people who suffer from small and larger keloid scars. Scar treatment, as with all types of scars, will depend on the size and location of the lesion. Don't forget that certain people have a tendency to produce keloid scars.
What is a Keloid Scar?
Keloids, keloid scar or keloidal scarring all refer to the same thing. Keloids aren't really scars but instead a benign fibrotic tumor that is characterized by excessive amounts of collagen, elastin, and proteoglycans.
A keloid can be small or extensive. The severity of this type of skin problem is determined by the its size and location. For example, keloids that form over joints can cause mobility problems as well as pain.
Options for Keloid Scar Treatment (http://www.magmall.com/articles/741533-keloids2.php)
Keloid treatment used on minor scars usually consists of compression therapy and intralesional corticosteroid injections. Some people prefer to treat their lesions with surgery, however, this may not be a good idea when treating smaller lesions because of the high recurrence rate common in keloid formation.
Silicone bandages or compression garments may be used as a form of compression therapy. Compression garments are custom fitted and can be worn permanently for several months or a year depending on the size of the keloid.
A pulsed-dye laser can be used to help flattening keloids and make them look less red. Treatment is safe and not very painful, but several treatment sessions may be needed. These may be costly, since such treatments are not generally covered by insurance plans.
Surgery is commonly used to eliminate larger keloids. This option is often necessary because larger keloids can restrict movement and cause pain or discomfort. This type of keloid removal allows doctors the possibility to monitor and control any new keloid formation. However, before getting anywhere near the operating table there is a great deal of preparation that has to go into keloid scar removal (http://www.bioskinrepair.com/).
Before you undergo surgery a doctor may inject a corticosteroid injection directly into the keloid. Depending on their success, he or she will determine whether it is convenient to proceed with surgery or not.
During surgery, the doctor may also inject a steroid injection to help control the development of a new keloid. Injections may also be applied after surgery to help prevent a keloid from forming, a task that can also be accomplished by using compression therapy to keep a new keloid under control.
Other common treatment options, both alternative and complementary, may include radiation, interferon injections, and fluorouracil injections. These treatments have been successful in treating and helping prevent keloid formation.
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