Keloid treatment requires surgery removal or debulking, steroid injections and pressure garments or earrings with weekly office visits over a 2 to 3 month period. Keloids are large sometimes dumbell shaped scars that grow out of the confines of the original wound. They are most common in Afro Americans but occasionally are found in Hispanics and Asians. Keloids do not respond to silicone sheeting. Virtually all keloids that are cut out will return if steroids and pressure are not applied after surgery. In some cases radiation is used to prevent recurrence especially if the patient cannot return for weekly office visits or the body area involved is not amenable to the application of pressure by a garment, for example keloids on the neck. Hypertrophic scars are sometimes treated in the same fashion but are more amenable to laser treatments, silastic sheeting and pressure garments.

Although the exact skin condition prior to keloid formation cannot be reached vast improvement is possible.

Both of these patients had earlobe keloids caused by earring hole punctures. All were quite large and although the ear will never look exactly as it did before the earring holes were made the side views show that significant improvement is possible.

Read Dr. Stone's blogs about Scars, Keloids and Hypertrophic Scars
• Scars, Keloids and Hypertrophic Scars

Keloid surgery can enhance your appearance and your self confidence. Realistic expectations are important to be happy with any surgery. As each patient is an individual, different results can be expected in each patient.