Using Steroid Injections to Reduce Scars and Keloids

Obtaining treatment for unsightly scars and keloids due to injuries or as a result of surgery can have uneven results. No matter what the cause, scars can be disfiguring and in some cases, can even result in loss of function. Severity of scars and keloids depends on a number of factors, including:

1. thickness
2. size
3. depth
4. color
5. how the tissue pulls on surrounding structures
6. blood flow to the area and color of the skin
7. some individuals, particularly those with darker skin tones produce raised scars called keloids

Reducing the appearance of scars and keloids

Working with an experienced board-certified cosmetic surgeon is essential for scar and keloid reduction. In Manhattan and Scarsdale, Dr. Schwarcz routinely performs steroid injections to reduce and repair the appearance of unsightly scars and keloids. Candidates for scar reduction treatments should be in good health, have no serious pre-existing medical conditions and have realistic expectations about treatment outcomes. Many scars cannot be treated. Qualities that make scars more successful to revision are those that are raised or depressed, have contour irregularities, poor lines of orientation, odd colors and scars produced by trauma.

How to treat scars and keloids effectively

A variety of methods are used to treat scars and keloids, not all of which involve surgery. Hypertrophic and keloid scars often respond to direct injection of steroids into the tissue. Hypertrophic scars are thick, red and raised and remain in the original boundaries of an incision or wound. Keloids are raised scar tissue that is often red or darker in color than the surrounding skin, but extend beyond the original boundaries. In order to treat these types of scars, steroids are injected directly into the affected tissue to break down the skin’s collagen. In many cases, steroid injections can reduce the pain and itching associated with these scars.