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Scars can range from minor blemishes to severe and constricting tissue. The type of treatment you use will depend greatly on the type of scar and the extent of injury. Keloids are one of the most difficult types of scars to treat.

Keloids - What are They?

Keloids aren't actually considered scars. As a matter of fact, they are benign fibrotic tumors that contain atypical fibroblasts. They are also characterized by an excessive amount of collagen, elastin and proteogylcans.

Generally, keloids have abundant collagen bundles that form nodules in the deep dermal portion of the lesion. They can cause severe itching, pain, and visible disfigurement. The main difficulties facing keloid scar treatment are constant growth and a high rate of recurrence.

Keloids can be small or quite extensive. Not only does size determine how serious this scar is, but so does location. If a keloid scar appears over a joint, it can cause problems with mobility as well as pain.

How you can Treat Keloids

There are several methods for treating keloids. They include compression dressings, silicone sheeting, cryosurgery, surgery, steroid injections, and radiation and laser therapy. Cryosurgery in conjunction with the application of steroid injections is a very successful way of treating small keloids. However, if you're trying to treat larger keloids then you'll probably have to undergo surgery.

Nevertheless, keloid treatment isn't just about keloid removal. Successful keloid scar treatment must include procedures that are implemented before, during and after surgery. For better understanding, here's a quick overview of keloid scar removal.

Before and during surgery, a specialist will inject steroids into the scar tissue to help dissolve the scar. Studies have shown that this is an effective way of helping minimize the rate of recurrence. After having removed the keloid, the area should be watched over carefully.

After keloid scar removal surgery, the surgeon may use compression therapy or silicone sheets to help keep the keloid from recurring. Compression may last as long as twelve months.

Laser and radiation therapy are another treatment method that can help you deal with keloids. When using laser therapy a laser is used to produce a superficial peel. Higher success rates occur when laser therapy is used in conjunction with silicone sheeting or steroid injections.

Radiation therapy is most effective when used soon after having undergone surgery. When used while the wound is healing it becomes even more effective.

Gels and creams can also be used for scar treatment. Products that are 100% silicone are also very effective. Products that contain onion extract have also been proven effective when treating all kinds of post traumatic wounds. In fact, they have even been known to help in the healing process.

No matter which product or treatment you decide to use you have to remember one thing, you must be persistent. This is the only way for the treatment to be successful.