There are a number of ways to treat keloids. Unfortunately, none are perfect and all carry the risk for recurrence. Injections (steroids/5-Fu) can help soften and shrink lesions. Radiation can be helpful for recurrent lesions that have been resistant to more conservative measures. They can also be excised, however, this carries with it a high risk for recurrence as this recreates the tissue injury that incited the keloid formation in the first place.

As always, discuss your concerns with a board-certified plastic surgeon (ABPS).

Published on Jul 11, 2012

Burn scars are not keloids. Keloids have increased blood flow, while burn scars have decreased blood flow. You might want to try laser.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

Burn scars can be replaced with grafts or treated with laser and injections.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

You must wait for the wound to heal before treating the keloids, after you can resurface your skin, or have a plastic surgeon inject the scar with Kenalog. This will bring down the raised area. If they are more sever you can get skin grafting. Always check with a wound care specialist to see you options for wound healing

Published on Jul 11, 2012

It depends on there size and location. The problem is that they may come back worse than they were before when excised. We still do not really understand the reason people get keloids, which is part of the problem when treating them. There are many things done in combination with surgery to try and prevent recurrence, but none have been shown to totally decrease the chance of the keloid coming back. These adjuntive therapies would include radiation treatments, kenalog and/or chmeotheraputic agent injections, silicone gels, ect. If the scars are really large, excsion is likley not an option without a much more complicated reconstruction to move normal skin from one area of the body to your neck/jawline. You need to see a board certified plastic surgeon so he or she can evaluate you and go over your options. You may just have hypertrophic burn scars which are must less risky to treat then a keloid scar. Proceed cautiously and it would be a good idea to get several opinions.

Published on Jul 11, 2012

Yes, keloids can be helped, but it really depends on what you have. It is probably hypertrophic scarring and not keloids. I do charity work in Lithuania with children that have been burned. Treatment can be nonsurgical with ScaRxtape, compresive garments or surgical-excision with skin grafting, flaps. Each case I individualize.

Published on Jul 11, 2012