Table of Contents
What Are Keloids?
About 10% of all wounds result in scars known as keloids. These scars may protrude and hang from the skin and rub against other skin, causing friction issues. In some cases, they can limit joint mobility and cause lesions and disfigurement, which can create a great deal of emotional distress.
Keloids come about as a result of an exaggerated healing process. On any area of skin where trauma was inflicted, the body naturally grows new skin cells to replace the old damaged skin cells. New collagen growth is also stimulated. When collagen production is overstimulated, keloid scars form.
Risk Factors & Causes
Keloid scars are most common in:
- People of African, Hispanic, or Asian ethnicity
- People under the age of 30
- Pregnant women
- People with a family history of keloids
- Dark-complexioned individuals
- Dieting and exercise are not solutions for drooping skin, and stubborn fat is often resistant to these methods. With an arm lift, however, these aesthetic issues can be contoured away, leaving the arms looking toned, sculpted, and fit.
They commonly occur because of:
- Piercings
- Acne vulgaris
- Insect bites
- Surgical incisions
- Burns
- Shaving cuts
- Punctures and deep cuts
- Tightly braided hair
- Chickenpox
- Measles
Spotting & Diagnosing Keloids
Keloid scars are often larger than the original wound. They feel different to the touch compared to the skin around them and can feel doughy, rubbery, or firm. They are elevated and come in various shades of pink, brown, and purple.
Keloids are frequently itchy and can be unpleasant to look at. They most commonly occur on the shoulders, back, or chest and can double or triple in size within months and change color when they stop growing. Their increased surface area causes them to grow darker after being exposed to sunlight.
Keloids can take weeks to years to fully grow and are tender in the growth stage. They can range from being an inch long to being as large as a basketball. They are constrained by the amount of collagen in the area, so the largest scars tend to form on the shoulders and back.
Treating Keloids
For most people, keloids are harmless yet upsetting. They rarely disappear on their own and often need medical intervention to remove.
When you visit with Dr. Williams, an initial skin biopsy will be conducted as per standard protocol, and your keloid treatment options will be presented to you. Because scars are the result of the healing process, invasive options are the last resort, as these options can result in a high chance of recurrence.
Several non-invasive, minimally invasive, and invasive options are available:
- Corticosteroid injections: Regular injections administered every four to eight weeks flatten out the keloids and prevent them from growing.
- Silicone treatment: Silicone gel or sheets can be applied to the affected area to safely shrink scars and prevent reoccurring scars.
- Creams: Lanolin, petrolatum, imiquimod cream, or tretinoin cream can be used as prescription ointment to safely reduce the size of keloids.
- Lasers: Pulsed dye lasers have proven to be effective at flattening keloid scars and improving their tone.
- Cryosurgery: Liquid nitrogen can be used to freeze and remove scars. This changes the skin color. The Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery notes that young scars can have their sizes reduced by up to 50% with cryosurgery.
Cost of Keloid Scar Removal
The cost of Keloid Scar Removal of the body may vary starting at $995.
Cost of Keloid Scar Removal of the Face
The cost of Keloid Scar Removal of the face may vary, starting at $795.
Learn More About Treating Keloids
BEFORE & AFTERS
