Keloid scars can result from cuts, puncture wounds, serious acne, tattoos, piercings and more. When your skin sustains an injury, the body automatically tries to repairs the damaged cells. In doing so, a scar forms and scar tissue can continue to grow after the wound has healed. A keloid is the scar tissue that becomes raised on the skin after a skin injury. An individual dealing with scars of any sort may want it removed for either cosmetic reasons or medical concern.
How Dermatologists Remove Keloid Scars
To minimize a keloid scar, with maximum efficiency because there is a risk of recurrence, the practitioner dermatologist will try to soften and flatten the keloid and shrink it in size as well. This is accomplished by a variety of methods including the following:
- A corticosteroid injection can help reduce the size of the keloid.
- You can freeze the scar by cryotherapy, a procedure most effective on smaller keloids.
- Laser treatments can be utilized to make the keloid scar flatter.
- The dermatologic surgeon can surgically remove the scar by cutting and excising it. This procedure yields fast results. However, surgery may cause the keloid to reoccur by triggering trauma to the skin yet again.
If you or a loved one are struggling with a keloid scar, hypertrophic scar, contracture scar or acne scar, Skin and Cancer Institute’s team of professional surgeons and dermatologists are at your service and disposal.