Keloid Scars and Best Ways to Treat Them

I am fed up with the ugly scar, please help!! Scars are viewed as unwanted for everyone, especially if they are thick and itchy, like keloid or hypertrophic scars. Scars are a natural way for the body to heal itself from any trauma or surgery, and all of us will have scars of some degree or other on our body if we have had a cut, fall or surgery. The question is, is there a way to avoid scars altogether? Well, the bad news is that there is no way to avoid scars because it is the only way the body will heal. The good news is that all scars can be treated or at least minimized to the least possible visibility.

In this blog, our expert plastic surgeon, Dr. Shilpi Bhadani, renowned as the best plastic surgeon in India has shared in-depth information about keloid scars and their effective treatments. Let’s straight away dive into it.

As Plastic Surgeons, we often tend to take the utmost care to make incisions for the surgeries in areas that are least visible and hide them in the natural folds of the body. Whether we treat moles, remove sebaceous cysts and lipoma, or do bigger body contouring surgeries, we always try our best to leave the least possible scars. However, what can be done if you end up with an ugly-looking scar for whatever reason?

Ways to Treat Prominent Scars

Well, there are various options to treat prominent scars.

• Steroids: The first and foremost thing we can do to treat your scars is local injections of Steroids. When we say steroids, most of us think of them as harmful medications, but it isn't so. Steroids can be wonderful agents for treating bad scars. These are typically injected within the scars and can flatten them, making them less itchy and removing their redness. You will need repeated treatment sessions, typically 3-4 weeks apart, and you should follow your doctor's advice.
• CO2 Lasers: Another modality to treat these scars along with the injections is with a CO2 laser. The laser beams help rearrange the collagen and its orderly distribution so that the scars flatten out over time. This, too, will need more than one treatment session and is best done with steroid injections.
• Surgery: Surgery is asked for these scars very commonly, and we have to say that surgical methods for these scars often lead to poor results, and ultimately, we fall back on using similar methods for scar reduction even after surgery. If we talk about scars that are well settled but not too thick or itchy or are causing a contracture, then we can opt for surgery, but these scars do not fall in the category of hypertrophic or keloid scars. Our experts provide effective keloid removal surgery in Delhi, but the surgery is only done if the surgeon thinks it can provide the desired results. 
• Other Options: More options exist for improving these scars and they are corticosteroid creams, radiation therapy, pressure clips and in extreme cases, surgery may be tried but have a significant recurrence rate.

As care providers, plastic surgeons often ask their patients before surgery if they tend to form keloids, and usually, it runs in families. Darker skin has more propensity to form keloid than lighter ones. If one has a pre-existing tendency, then local steroids can be injected into the sutured lines to prevent the occurrence of the scars.

What can be Done for Prevention of the Keloid Scars?

If you know that you have a tendency, then you should

• Do Wound Care as Advised:  Wound care takes a lot of effort and time, but that's the best thing you can do to prevent the scars from forming keloids. Follow the advice of your surgeon, and follow-up needs to be done.
• Application of Steroid Creams: Your doctor may prescribe medications and creams to reduce the itching.
• Apply Silicone Gel: Silicone gel helps reduce the dryness of the scars and locks the moisture within so that the scar can be modulated.
• Protect the Area: Under all circumstances, you must prevent the area from getting re-injured.
• Sun Protection: This can’t be over-emphasized. Apply sun protection liberally and keep the area out of the sun for at least 6-8 months.
• Pressure Therapy and Pressure Garments: Pressure therapy's role in treating keloid and hypertrophic scars is also very important. Surgeons in the early weeks of wound healing often advise pressure massage. This is done because research has proven that mechano-modulation significantly affects thick scars. It is best to set a routine and do it with discipline. The scars start to relent over time and become soft and supple, which also will aid in the further treatments of steroid injections or lasers.

The common areas of occurrence of these keloids are the ear lobule, shoulder, chest, back, and sometimes the forearm or abdomen area.

If you know that you tend to keloid formation, then the best way is to prevent any kind of trauma, and if you have to undergo any surgery, make sure that you inform your surgeon about it. To get assistance from a skilled plastic surgeon, you can book an appointment with our expert surgeons at SB Aesthetics. A renowned plastic and cosmetic surgery renowned for providing effective keloid treatment in Delhi. To avail of the benefits, consult now.