Keloid Scars Are a Type of Hypertrophic Scar Nobody Wants

Hypertrophic scars are also known as raised scars and a result of a hyper production of collagen. While they are a bit difficult to deal with, they are much less problematic than keloid scars.

Keloid scars are actually an overgrowth of fibrous tissue. Unlike hypertrophic scars, keloids extend beyond the original site of the wound and can keep growing indefinitely. These are two of the reasons that keloid scars are difficult to treat and deal with.

Keloid scars can take on a puckered appearance. The puckering gives them an irregular shape. Unfortunately, these types of raised scars will usually get worse with time instead of getting better.

Their appearance is a pinkish or red color and they have a tendency to become quite large and unattractive. They can also be tender to the touch, itchy and sometimes painful. Keloids can show-up anywhere on the body, but are usually seen on the breastbone, ear lobes and shoulders.

The biggest problem with keloids is that they have a tendency to recur and require repeated treatments. Fortunately, the predisposition to develop keloids diminishes with age.

There are several different ways of keloid scar removal for both hypertrophic and keloid scars. Two of the most common treatments are corticosteroid injections and compression therapy. Here is a short introduction to both types of treatments.

Compression therapy is about the application of pressure to the scar. Some studies have shown that when pressure is applied to the scar it reduces the cohesiveness of collagen fibers and inhibits the formation of hypertrophic scars and keloids. Some of the elements used in compression therapy include compression wraps, ACE bandages, elastic adhesive bandages, spandex or Lycra bandages.

Compression therapy has shown positive results on existing scars, however, it is generally used to prevent the formation of scar tissue, especially keloids.

Scar healing can also be achieved by using regular corticosteroid injections which can be applied before, during, and after surgery. Intralesional corticosteroid injections help treat both raised scars and keloids by deterring the production of collagen.

Surgery and microdermabrasion are two types of scar removal options that can be used to treat raised scars. Surgery for keloids is a complicated topic because keloids tend to recur, however, microdermabrasion seems to be a safer option for both keloids and hypertrophic scar removal because it works slowly by gradually wearing down the skin until it is practically gone.

Hypertrophic scars can often be treated with one of the previously mentioned alternatives, however, keloid scar removal most often relies on a combination of all of these treatments to be successful. If you want further information you should talk to your doctor about scar removal treatments for these types of scars.

source: ezinearticles.com