keloid scar treatment - any experience ?

[CMOTdibbler]

A surgical scar on the inside of my elbow - 5" long - has decided to be a keloid scar (raised, bumpy, wide, livid red/purple, and keeps cracking), and the gp is referring me to dermatology for treatment on it as they don't want to try anything more than the massage and biooil that I already am doing.

Has anyone had one treated, and what was the outcome ?

[lozza1985]

hi i have a keloid scar its on my lower neck/upper chest i got it after having a dodgy mole removed ive never had one before so was horrified when this aweful thing appeared ! after being refered to hospital they decided steroid injection were the route to go down i had 3 lots over 4 months they were quite painful but i put numbing cream on before. it has now flatened but very slightly dipped people often think its a love bite lol i hope this helps they are horrible things and i hope u get it sorted xx

[stump]

Hi I too have a keloid scar on my chest after having a lump removed. It bothered me for a long time but after being referred to dermatology I had steroid injections and although you can still see it and like Lozza it is slightly dipped it doesn't bother me anywhere near as much.

[CMOTdibbler]

Thanks both - the gp I saw does do the steroid injections, but said it wasn't going to be a good idea due to the length of my scar and where it is. I'm not looking for perfection as my arm is extensively scarred and odd looking, but this is yucky

[cadburysgirl]

i was left with a keloid scar after having a mole removed on my back when i was about 15.

About 6 months after having the mole removed i went back in hospital and the same dr removed the scar and i was left with a normal looking faint scar

[FairyArmadillo]

I stopped getting steroid injections four years ago when I got pregnant. I'd only had two courses before then. I have a spectacular array above my breasts and can't wear low cut clothes. To be honest the injections really hurt, and I had to cancel two appointments for them after DS was born because babysitters cancelled on me both times.

I'd love to get the scars removed by the doctors advised not to. Perhaps I should brave the injections again. They hurt so badly I asked for nurse to come in and hold my hand the first time, and a friend came in especially to hold my hand the second time!

[FairyArmadillo]

Lozza- where do you get the numbing cream?

[lozza1985]

I got cream from the chemist think it's called ametop ? it def worked for me x

[SnowieBear]

Got a corker of a keloid running all the way down my chest thanks to open heart surgery. I had some [http://www.gelzone.co.uk/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=77&category_id=30&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=53 gel strip treatment] that slightly improved its appearance, but to be honest, time itself flattens and de-colours them. Yes, you can see mine, but I'm not really bothered.

BTW, that website has lots of different products to suit different scar types, it may be worth a look... it works (somewhat), it was medically prescribed in Spain and it doesn't hurt at all.

[SnowieBear]

And again... here

[daenerysstormborn]

i've got one on one breast, i don't wear low cut tops as it can been seen. it's the result of having a cyst removed in '94. have had lots of steroid injections in it which have helped, it's not totally gone but it's flatter, less red. the injections do hurt but i think out of all the available treatments they are the most effective.

[lozza1985]

i forgot to say i also got camoflarge make up on the nhs i dont wear it daily just when we go out somewhere nice and its on show its pretty good stuffx

[BrikSchittHaus]

Have you tried this?

I used this and it improved the area significantly, my doctor hadn't heard of it but was happy to prescribe it as it was in her "book".

Nothing will make it vanish completely - that I know of - but it certainly stopped people looking at it all the time and turned the colour from purple back to my normal skin tone.

I used the gel for three months, but you may find that the gel strips are more suitable?

[FairyArmadillo]

Lots of useful information here. It's encouraging me to brave the injections again. Never thought of make-up. Because of where mine are I find it quite frustrating buying clothes, especially in the summer when everything seems to be low cut. I already where a high neck strapless vest under my swimsuit to hide them!

[CMOTdibbler]

I used the silicone on my other scars, and it really helped. Can't get it to stay on this one. Am seeing the dermatologist next week, and my physio said this particular one may offer me laser treatment - it was cracked and bleeding again today, which is the bit that bothers me as my arm is so not normal in appearance anyway

[trixymalixy]

I have a keloid scar on my shoulder.

I had the silicon sheets first and they were crap, made no difference. I had steroid injections in it which as others have said was quite painful, so they put the numbing gel on first. That made a huge difference to the size of it, it is very flat now.

It was still very purple though, so I had dye laser treatment and it is now almost the same colour as my skin. That was also quite painful so had numbing gel first. Both treatments took a long time, from when I was about 16 until I was in my early 20s, but I'm really pleased with the results.

[Bogeyface]

DH has a huge Keloid scar on the back of his head. He is very sensitive to them and it came from doctors in the 80s trying to remove a much smaller keloid scar

He has been advised never to have anything done to it as it will make it worse each time. It used to bother him but now he isnt so fussed. When I cut his hair we leave that section longer to cover it, and as it is afro it does stay put.

[daenerysstormborn]

yes, i have the camouflage make up too, was free from the nhs. i was referred from the gp via the red cross for it. was a short appointment just to match up my skin tone, got some cream and top powder

[Vycki]

Hi everyone,
Just come to this thread very late as I've only just found out I am pregnant (4 weeks) and so very excited but I am a bit cautious too. I am keloid prone and have lots that are over my shoulders and chest and have had many since I was 14. I've tried steroids and the silicone gel sheets but neither worked, in fact the steroids made them worse. My doctor can't do anything more for me and is reluctant to put me through laser as mine can be quite aggressive and have not stopped growing. I got one from putting vicks on my chest when was 22 and it was tiny at first but in a few years it grew to be about 3 inches.

However, it's not all bad news :)

About 5 years ago I tried chinese medicine and I got some good results and then after they stopped responding, I tried Ayurvedic medicine and completely changed my diet. It seems that lots of foods can make my skin worse, e.g. meat, seafood, garlic, grapes, cranberries, pumpkin and alcohol. After these I noticed that refined sugar also does them no good. I am now retraining in nutritional therapy as I can see how the diet affects me and I am almost in my last year of the degree.
I have also just noticed that the ones on my chest have been disappearing (much to surprise of my doctor) and this has been after sun exposure so I researched it and found out that infrared saunas are reputed to have some good effects for the skin. Unfortunately you can't use them when you're pregnant but I had used a sauna twice before I knew I was pregnant and they got a lot better, smoother, less red and flatter and no pain. So much so that we went and bought a sauna which is now coming at Christmas - I then found two days after ordering that I was pregnant! So at least it will be waiting for me afterwards and my husband will have great use of it before me!

I hope my findings might help someone as I know how painful it is to live with keloids. If you do have keloids, I would suggest looking at diet, stress management and researching the infrared sauna - it may work for you

[CMOTdibbler]

The dermatologist has prescribed me Haelan tape (steroid impregated tape), Kelo-cote gel, and Dermatix sheets - she said the prob with steroid injections is that they can leave big dents, so she likes to try other things first.

[Vycki]

Hi CMOTdibbler
I hope they work for you! It seems that different things work for different people. I wish you success in your treatment!