Your skin will form a scar as a wound heals.  Keloid scars are those that form thicker and extends beyond the borders of the original wound site.  People with darker skin are more likely to form this type of scarring.  Certain areas of the body are more likely to form keloids including the skin over the sternum (midchest), shoulders, the earlobes, and cheeks.  Keloid scars are not dangerous although they are often considered unsightly by patients.

1. If you know you have keloids or tend to form keloid scars, you should let your doctor know before any type of surgery or procedure.  There are various techniques that can be employed to help prevent the formation of keloids.
2. Of course, the best prevention is to avoid any non-essential surgery or procedure especially in areas that are more likely to form keloids.
3. Once you have keloid scars, they can be difficult to get rid of.  Attempts to cut them out can result in a new keloid formation.
4. There are some products that are reported to help minimize these types of scars.  Treatments include silicon sheeting, pressure dressings and corticosteroid injections.  The doctor can also try freezing the lesions but this is reserved for smaller scars and surgical excision is possible but should be combined with another therapy to prevent regrowth.
5. There are various over the counter products that claim to help with scar reduction.  Vitamin E has not been shown to reduce keloid scars.  Mederma is an onion plant extract that is available commercially as well as other plant extract creams that are used for prevention of significant scarring.  These are not effective as treatments for keloids that have already formed.
6. If you really hate your keloids, you can ask your doctor for a specialist referral to get laser treatments for the scars.  These visits would probably be considered “cosmetic” treatments and your insurance may not cover them.

Tags: keloid, Mederma, Scar, Skin