Keloid Scar Removal

Best Treatments for Keloid Scar Removal

PLEASE NOTE: Advanced Dermatology does not treat keloids at this current time. This article is for education and information purposes only. 

Keloid scar removal is needed by many individuals that need keloid scars removed. Keloid scars are an overgrowth of scar tissue formed around an injury of the skin after the wound has healed. Keloid scars grow beyond the borders of the original injury and are raised, with a shiny dome appearance. They are in the pink to red range in colour, and tend to be itchy, tender or painful to the touch. They are formed many times after burns, body piercings, boils, acne, surgical wounds and lacerations. They are more commonly found in individuals with darker skin tones, with a peak age being between 10 and 30 years of age. They are less commonly found in the elderly. They are found equally in men and woman, and develop the most on the chest, shoulders, back, and earlobes. They are seldom found on the face, and will usually appear in the jawline when on the face. A keloid scar can take up to a year to form, but are seen developing about 3 months after the damage to the skin first took place.

Keloid scars may hamper movement, so over time, it is often necessary to find a keloid scar removal treatment.

What are some keloid scar removal techniques?

A keloid scar removal technique could be to leave the scar alone and let it shrink over time. However, the scar will still be present. Many laser methods can not target the depth of the keloid to completely remove a keloid scar. However, a keloid scar removal technique found to be effective in reducing the appearance of a keloid scar is the V-beam laser. The V-beam laser is a pulsed dye laser. This means the energy is delivered in pulses and a dye will be used help generate beams of laser light in different colours. The laser will target the blood vessels, heating them, which will cause them to collapse. A cooling spray is used to help reduce any pain associated with the process. This is one of the safest lasers on the market, as scarring, blistering and infection are extremely rare. The most common side effect is bruising. Serious damage to the eyes can take place, so eye protection must be worn at all times during this keloid scar removal treatment. Should an individual have a history with cold sores, it should be noted on the patient’s chart, as the V-beam may activate the herpes simplex virus. After the treatment, the skin will most likely look red and swollen. This should last anywhere from a few hours to a few days. To have optimal results with the V-beam laser, 3 to 5 treatments will often be needed. A single treatment is typically priced between $350 to $800.

Other keloid scar removal techniques include surgery, cryotherapy (using liquid nitrogen to freeze off the scar), steroid injections, or use of silicon sheets. Keep in mind that using surgery as a means of keloid scar removal could result in more scars. Steroid injections will be given once every 2 to 6 weeks until improvement is seen, while the use of cryotherapy could result in a side effect of hypopigmentation. Though there are many side effects associated with Cryotherapy, it is found to be the most effective treatment for keloid scars.

How does an individual know which keloid scar removal technique is right for them?

Should an individual have a keloid scar that needs to be removed, the issue should be discussed with a dermatologist. An individual’s dermatologist will be able to determine which keloid scar removal technique is right for them based on skin tones, how large the keloid scar is, and what the effects are that the individual has the desire for.

7 replies
  1. Sissy
    Sissy says:

    I have never suffered from a keloid scar, but my younger sister has one on her back. It is obvious to spot in the summer when she wears tank tops and dresses. It is embarrassing to her and she says it is frustrating to find clothes sometimes to cover it up in the summer. I know that she would love to be able to remove it or at least make it so it was not so noticeable. I am going to pass this article on to her and let her see that there are keloid scar removal techniques out there that can work for her. Hopefully she can find one that will work well on her skin, and make her feel pretty again, even though in my eyes she will always be pretty.

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  2. Faith Karen
    Faith Karen says:

    I have a keloid scar that I would love to get rid of. It is embarrassing to me. I just feel like others are looking at me and judging me when I know that I should not care what they think. It does not itch or is rarely bothersome. Just the appearance for me. I would love to have the V-beam done. I would avoid surgery at all costs as I do not want more scars to get rid of one scar. I will have to check with my dermatologist to see if they offer the V-beam laser. Even if the scar is not completely removed, but can help make it appear less of a scar, I would be fine with it. r

    Reply
  3. jane
    jane says:

    What a great article on keloid scar removal. I have a keloid scar, or at least that is what I believe the type is based on what I have read. I would love to diminish the looks of it, or remove it completely from my earlobe if that was an option. It is located on my ear from when I got my ears double pierced. I have to wear my hair down now, as when I pull it up, I feel that my ears look like elf ears. I am ashamed and embarrassed as to how they look. I never realized that there were methods to getting rid of the scars like this but I am going to take full advantage of the methods and really research which method is right for me. Even just getting the scar to look more presentable would be fine with me.

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  4. My experience
    My experience says:

    I had a keloid scar last year and decided that I needed to try the V-beam laser in order to reduce the look of it. It worked well for me. There was not any pain associated with it for me. It felt like small snaps on my skin. There was cold air blasted on my skin to help control the pain. I did not use any anesthesia on my skin as the area was quite small, however, my doctor did tell me that in larger cases it may be used. The whole process only took about 10 minutes. I was scheduled to have treatments 6 weeks apart from each other for a total of 5 treatments. I did apply ice after the treatment each time to avoid bruising and this technique worked quite well for me. I also avoided the sun while my face was still red. Something that is important to note is that you may not take any aspirin or drink alcohol for three days prior to this keloid scar removal treatment and you will have to avoid it for 2 weeks after as these can increase bruising to the skin as they are blood thinners.

    Reply
  5. Cindy
    Cindy says:

    I have four keloids – 2 on each keloid and I am interested in a consultation about the best removal/treatment method.

    Reply
  6. Jade Goodyear
    Jade Goodyear says:

    I’ve had a larger area on the middle of my chest full of keloid scars I’ve tried the injections and only to my acknowledgment they have got worse I’m now trying a small area with the freezing technique hope this works I’ve had enough I can’t where low cut tops always buttoned up polo shirts or shirts I just want to wear a lovely dress but I can’t I’m 22 so need it sorting soon it’s been 4 years now :(

    Reply

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