A keloid scar is a scar that occurs after surgery, but it grows significantly bigger and broader than the original wound that caused it. When there is an excess of scar tissue growth, it can lead to smooth, hard growths called keloid scars, or keloids. Find them on the shoulders, upper chest and back, breastbone, earlobes, and the face. Keloids are not cancerous, but they can become painful. The patient can feel discomfort, and that is why many people seek proper treatment of keloids. Sometimes, they even grow back after the treatment. But if you take specific steps after your keloid removal surgery, you can ensure that keloids do not return. They usually happen after a surgery, injury, or piercings. They are dark, puffy, and irregularly shaped. They can damage a person’s confidence and self-esteem as they could be cosmetically disfiguring. Our surgeons have extensive experience in removing keloid scars. They have helped numerous patients feel confident about themselves.
Our surgeons are among the experts when it comes to microsurgery. Their training and experience ensure that his patients see the expected outcome and are satisfied. With more than 15,000 combined surgeries under their belt, our board-certified plastic surgeons are ready to help you with your problem.
Generally, keloids don’t show up right away after a normal scar has formed. It can take three months to a year for a keloid to appear, and can take weeks, months, or even years to grow.
Appearance: Much larger and more pigmented than the original wound that caused it. They range from feeling soft & doughy to hard & rubbery; regardless, they don’t feel the same as surrounding skin.
Size: Much bigger in size, more elevated in height, and more pigmented than a normal scar. The size range is quite broad, from less than one inch to 12 inches or higher.
Colour: Often begins as a raised pink, red, or purple scar, and darkens as time passes. Generally darker than the person’s skin, with a darker border than the center.
Location: Anywhere on the body
Additional symptoms: Can feel itchy, tender, and painful while they’re growing; these symptoms stop when growth stops.
Certain areas of the body are especially prone to forming keloid scars, including:
Keloids can form at any age and happen randomly. Some of your scars could heal adequately, and others turn into keloids.
A myriad of causes lead to keloids, including burns, cuts, severe acne, body piercings, tattoos, or surgeries—essentially, anything that can cause a scar can also cause a keloid.
When there is physical trauma to skin, it tries to repair itself through the formation of a scar. Sometimes, the scar tissue continues to form abundantly even after the injury has finished healing, growing much larger than the original would. It is still unclear to doctors why some peoples’ skin scars in this manner.
Keloids are not tumours; they are scar tissues that keep growing. Some ethnics groups who have darker skins are more at risk of developing keloids than others, especially those with darker skin. Keloids can also be genetic, predisposing one to develop them if either of their parents have them.
Most people think that keloids are a type of tumour, but as mentioned earlier, that is not the case. Keloids are scar tissues that change their appearance and grow after the injury. Keloids form in places where the skin is damaged. It could be due to surgery, acne, chickenpox, piercing, or a cut. When the wound heals, thick tissue grows over it, making the scar even more prominent and scarier than the injury. Some people have even reported a keloid after just a scratch. Researchers are now saying that keloids are likely to have a gene associated with skin pigmentation.
Keloids can form at any age and happen randomly. Some of your scars could heal adequately, and others turn into keloids.
Keloids are tricky to treat. Sometimes they return after treatment, because the body area in which they’re situated are genetically predisposed to heal that way. The aim of keloid treatment is to flatten, soften, or shrink it.
Keloid removal is typically a multi-step process involving surgical removal followed by cortisone injections. Although recurrence is unpredictable and erratic, the board certified surgeons at TMSC apply best practices for keloid treatment and often see results with exceeding success.
Our surgeons are highly trained and experienced professionals who care deeply about their patients. Rest assured all of our procedures are carried out with the utmost care, precision, regard for aesthetics, and in a safe environment.
Although there is no way of curing keloids permanently, several treatments can improve the look and the feel. Sometimes, the keloids can even grow back after the treatment. When you come for your initial consultation with our surgeon, they will discuss the entire matter with you and tell you which form of therapy might be helpful. They might also suggest more than one type of treatment, depending on the keloids and their growth. They might recommend surgery, cryotherapy, medicated injections, corticosteroids, or any other therapy. If the keloids are large, our surgeon might decide to operate and remove them by cutting them away. They will also treat the area after the surgery. Otherwise, the chances are that they might grow back after some time. After the surgery, your site is covered with a silicone gel bandage. Our surgeon usually advises patients to keep the dressing on for a day or two. Depending on the case, they might also ask you to keep the bandage on longer. When they are satisfied with the results, our surgeon will inform you to stop the treatments.
Our surgeon uses a combination of surgery and medications to treat keloids. Our surgeons’ treatments are usually successful, but there is always a chance of regrowth. Keloids are tough to treat as they are a patient’s body’s natural response to wounds. If you cut open a keloid or try to remove it surgically, the body will try to heal itself by creating another keloid on top of the previous one. Even today, medical science hasn’t figured out a way for the body to heal without developing keloids.
Most surgeons only meet their patients at the time of surgery. Nurses or patient coordinators do all the initial consultations and follow-ups. Our surgeons believe in being there for all their patients throughout the entire process. They will be with you from the initial consultations to your last follow-up and beyond. You can ask them any question you want, and they will explain it to you in great detail.
Keloids usually occur after some surgery, piercing, tattoo, or a wound. If you are prone to keloids, it is better to avoid all these things. The chances are high that keloids will form after these procedures, and if you want to get your ears pierced, pressure earrings are an option to consider. If you have had a minor skin injury, make sure to treat the area right away. Not only will it heal faster, but it will also stop keloids from forming on the spot.
Our surgeons advise their patients to cover the injury with a thin layer of petroleum jelly and a nonstick bandage. It is advisable to use tape over the dressing to ensure even pressure on the entire wound. It would help if you also washed the area with soap daily. Once the wound has healed, our surgeon advises their patients to carry on with the treatment using a silicone gel bandage.
The actual price of keloid removal differs depending on the treatments and whether a patient has surgery or not. When you come to TMSC for your initial consultation by one of our surgeons, they will explain it all to you in great detail. They will also provide you with a personalized treatment plan and the cost.
There is always the chance that keloids can form again. Surgery is one of the best ways to remove keloids and keep them from coming back. Our surgeon will inspect your keloids and advise you accordingly.
Although various blogs tell you how to remove a keloid by yourself, we would suggest contacting a licensed plastic surgeon such as one of the board-certified plastic surgeons at TMSC. If you try to do it yourself, there is a high chance of infection and more complications.
No, keloids are not cancerous. But they can be painful enough for you to have them removed. When you come to our surgeon for your initial consultation, they will advise you on the best way to remove them.
Keloids are very hard to get rid of. This fact is especially true if they keep growing. You can have them removed by contacting us. Typically, our surgeon will advise multiple treatments so that they are gone for good.
