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Keloids are among the most difficult type of scar tissue to treat. They have a high recurrence rate which limits your surgical options. Also, some people experience the type of keloids that just keeping growing.

Fortunately, there are treatment options available to people who have small and larger keloid scars. They right type of scar treatment will depend on the size and location of the lesion. Don't forget that certain people have a tendency to produce keloid scars.

What is a Keloid Scar?

Keloids, keloid scar or keloidal scarring all refer to the same thing. Keloids aren't exactly scars but rather benign fibrotic tumors. They are characterized by excessive amounts of collagen, elastin and proteoglycans (all of which make up normal skin).

Keloids can be small or quite extensive. In order to find out the severity of your keloid you'll have to notice its size and location. For example, keloids that form over joints can cause mobility problems as well as pain.

Possible Options for Keloid Scar Treatment

Keloid treatment used on minor scars usually consists of compression therapy and intralesional corticosteroid injections. Surgery may not be suitable for smaller lesions due to the high recurrence rate of keloid scars.

Compression garments or silicone bandages can be used when treating a keloid with compression therapy. Compression garments are custom fitted and can be worn permanently for several months or a year depending on the size of the keloid.

The pulsed-dye laser is used to reduce redness and flatten keloids. This type of treatment is safe and doesn't produce much pain, however, in order to see noticeable results you'll have to undergo several treatment sessions. Before subjecting yourself to this type of treatment you should know that it is not often covered by insurance plans, and can therefore become very costly.

Surgery is generally the best option for larger keloids as these may restrict movement and cause pain or discomfort. This type of keloid removal also offers doctors the possibility to monitor and control any new keloid formation. However, before submitting yourself to surgical keloid scar removal, there are several things that need to be done.

Before surgery, the doctor may treat the keloid with corticosteroid injections. Depending on how the keloid responds to the treatment will determine if you need to undergo surgery or if the keloid can be treated without surgical intervention.

During surgery, steroid injection may also be used as a way of controlling the development of a new keloid. Injections may also be applied after surgery. Compression therapy is also a common post-op treatment used to help keep new keloids from forming.

Other treatment options, alternative and complementary, include radiation, interferon injections and fluorouracil injections. These treatments have been successful in treating and helping prevent keloid formation.