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Highlighting Keloid Scare Removal

Skin growths can often be many different things. This is why it is important to recognize what type of skin disorder you may have and what treatments are available. Being armed with this knowledge will make it easier for you to select the appropriate treatment for yourself.

Keloids are overgrowths of fibrous scar tissue that appear to be raised. They are also referred to as Cheloid or hypertrophic scars. The raised scars may appear pink or whitish, and are shiny, smooth and round. They can appear to be raised as much as ¼ an inch above the surface of the skin area. They can be itchy, painful and sensitive to touch them.

Who can get them?

Anyone can develop keloids. It is more common in individuals of African-American descent, and those with darker skin tones. They are also common in women and young people under the age of 30.

What can cause them?

The exact cause of keloids is unknown. What is known is that they occur when the body fails to heal the skin correctly. When this happens, collagen forms at the site of the scar and continues to form due to the fact that it does not shut off. This results in a keloid formation.

How does Keloid happen?

Keloids occur at the point of an injury to the skin. The will begin as a small bump where the skins has endured an injury and will then continue to grow. These injuries to the skin could be a result of a surgery, acne, a burn, an insect bite, or even a vaccination.

Where do they appear?

Keloids usually appear on the earlobes, shoulders, upper back, and chest area.

What are the symptoms?

Keloids look like a raised bump, but they often become larger over time. It will continue to become larger and more visible until it reaches its final size. That can vary from person to person.

How can it be diagnosed?

A doctor or dermatologist can diagnosis a Keloid based on its appearance and the patient’s medical history. In some cases, the doctor may remove a small piece of the skin, and examine it in a procedure known as a biopsy. This is done to rule out other types of skin disorders or tumors that may or may not be cancerous.

What treatments are available?

Keloid treatments can range from a variety of options. Since there is no single treatment, a combination of treatments can be used to effectively treat these skin growths.

The first option is removal by surgery. This is not always effective and many times the Keloids will return, and will be larger than the one that was removed. This is why it is important to combine this treatment with another one.

Corticosteroid injections maybe also used to reduce the size of the Keloid. These injections are often repeated every four to six weeks. The problem with this option is that the injections can be painful.

Another option to reducing the size of the Keloid is by covering it with a silicon gel sheet. The covering applies pressure to the growth, and helps it to shrink in size. This treatment is painless, but could take some time to reduce the size of the growth.

You could also opt for freezing the growth, through a process known as cryosurgery or cryotherapy. This process involves using liquid nitrogen to stop freeze or stop the growth. This process has to be repeated every twenty or so days to be effective.

Laser treatments are also used in some cases, but like regular surgery, there is a chance that the Keloids could return, and come back larger than before.

Finally, Radiation therapy can be used. This treatment can help to reduce the scar formation, but only if they are used right after the formation has occurred.

While Keloids are difficult to treat, they are usually harmless and once they stop growing they do not give the individual any problems. Most individuals for cosmetic purposes like to get them removed. Like other skin growths, it is important to have them checked out by a doctor, so that you can rule out if the skin is growth is cancerous.