A keloid is a scar that is caused by increased tissue formation after some type of trauma to the skin has occurred. Keloid scar treatment can be extremely difficult, as there is no single treatment that works in all cases. Methods of keloid scar treatment a doctor may attempt include steroids and surgery.

When the skin becomes traumatized and attempts to heal, there can be an overproduction of collagen to cover the injured area. Eventually the excess of collagen piles up into a mass, which results in a keloid scar. Keloid scarring is a hereditary issue, and those who have family members with keloids are more susceptible to having their tissue scar in a similar manner. Almost half of all people who experience keloid scarring do so on the earlobes, and an overwhelming majority are female and nonwhite.

One way that keloids are treated is through steroids. In this case, doctors will inject steroid drugs into the skin around the keloid. Keloid scar treatment using steroids requires the patient to visit a doctor multiple times for the injections. Although steroids have been successful, it should be noted that patients with darker skin can suffer from tissue atrophy or hypopigmentation, the loss of skin color. Patients who choose to treat their scars through steroids are often given shots of the steroid hydrocortizone every two to three weeks.

Excision is also a viable alternative method of keloid scar treatment. An excision requires the surgical removal of all the scar tissue. Excisions are not always successful, and in some cases the keloid reoccurs after the tissue has been removed and begins to heal again.

In order to increase the success of excision, radiation can be used as a last resort. Radiation is only used in cases where the keloid scar is disfiguring and strongly resistant to every other treatment. Surgical excision alone has an average success rate of 65%. That success rate is contingent on whether or not some form of radiation therapy is used to reduce the chance of the keloid reoccurring.

When treating keloids, doctors seldom use surgery because the area can become even more inflamed as a response to the surgery. If the person is highly susceptible to experiencing keloids, then in some cases the best treatment may be to not treat the area at all. Keloids tend to resist treatment, and potential solutions should be discussed between the doctor and patient.

Treating keloid scarring can be very frustrating for patients. Keloid scarring treatments are still being researched, and there are no definitive cure-alls currently available for those battling the scars. Dermatologists and plastic surgeons are still exploring ways to both prevent and treat keloid scars. One of the newest advancements in keloid therapy is the use of lasers to decrease the size of the keloid and improve the color of scar.