Anyone had a keloid scar?

I think my heart surgery scar is a keloid scar... A keloid scar is one that rather than getting less noticeable over time like most scars, gets bigger over time - it's a result of overgrowth of tissue around the scar.

This is my incision 9 weeks after surgery (a few weeks after the incision got opened again to drain an abscess)



and yesterday:



Stupid scar has gotten a bit lighter, but worse in general since surgery. Apparently signs of a keloid are itchiness, it will look shiny, it's raised above the skin, it's sensitive to the touch, all of which I have.

If you've had one, what did yo do about it?

One of the girls at the office had scars on her arm from surgery. She got a prescription for an ointment that was supposed to reduce the redness and help it blend better.

Her's were not nearly as bright as yours. It worked to a point. But they are still noticeable.

I also read somewhere on line that they are doing laser treatments on scars. I have no idea who does it or if they are covered by insurance. But it is worth investigating.

My guess is that you could start with a referral to a good plastic surgeon.

Isn't laser treatments more for acne type scarring, rather then freaking huge scars like mine?

The nurse at my cardiologists office said she'd get him to look and get me a referral for a plastic surgeon if he thought it would help. Haven't heard back yet though.

I'm a believer in vitamin E for scars -- not the blended oils, but straight all-natural E right out of the capsules. I only have one keloid scar, though, and it's from long before I knew about vitamin E, so I don't know for sure that it really helps with keloids. Hope you find a solution!

Originally Posted by sarahp

Isn't laser treatments more for acne type scarring, rather then freaking huge scars like mine?

The nurse at my cardiologists office said she'd get him to look and get me a referral for a plastic surgeon if he thought it would help. Haven't heard back yet though.

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Sarah I have the most tiny tiny keloid on my nose (it's not noticable now unless you look REALLY REALLY close) from when i had my nose pierced.

I used a combination of Mederma and Vitamin E (straight from the capsule - just poke the end with a striaght pin and put it on there) It helped fade the scar very well! It's hardly noticable now. When i first took the piercing out- my dermatologist told me to wash the area 3x a day with medicated lotion soap (Provon) and to apply diluted Tea Tree oil to the area as it healed. Once it closed up i used the mederma and vitamin e to fade the scarring a bit. It's worked quite well!

That definitely looks like a Keloid there to me. For one as large as yours- you may want to talk to your dermatologist and see what they recommend. They may be able to give you certain creams or recommend OTC treatment or they might be able to do laser therapy on it to fade it. (Laser therapy has come such a long way- definitely could be an option for a larger scar ) I'd talk with a dermatologist or plastic surgeon and see what they recommend for the scarred area.

(Just a side note- when my friend had her leg cut up really bad from an accident- her doctor recommended her to a plastic surgeon- he did a fanstastic job on her scar! Looks wonderful!!! I'm not sure what procedure he used for her though I could ask if you'd like )

I just want it to stop getting bigger

Originally Posted by sarahp

I just want it to stop getting bigger

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Try to look on the positive side love, every time you see that scar- think about how that surgery saved your life and helped your heart!

I know it stinks to have a scar- but it's a small price to pay for now being able to do the things you love and being able to lead a full life now!!!

I would talk to your doctor and see if he can recommend a dermatologist or plastic surgeon. I bet when they figure out the right course of action for you, it'll hardly be noticable!

Your body is still probably healing from your surgery too -so maybe that's why the scarring has changed a bit. Hopefully soon though it'll just be an after thought and they'll be able to make it less notciable!

I have one from repeated c-sections (4 of them). When I had my last son, they cut away some of the old dead tissue and resewed it (or stapled it, darn if I can remember) back together, but it still gets itchy and is sensitive to the touch.

I never knew it had a name, nor have I ever said anything to my doctor about it. LOL - with the positioning of my scar... I think I'll just live with it.

But let me know if you find anything that will relieve the itching! ...and I hope you find the solution that works for you and stops it from growing.

ETA I read that surgery is only 50% effective, that sometimes the scar created to remove an original keloid will return bigger. I think that is what happened in my case. Hmmm...

on a quick search, I did see some alternative treatment options, from making your own aspirin paste to tea tree oil.

Originally Posted by StarryEyedTiGeR

Try to look on the positive side love, every time you see that scar- think about how that surgery saved your life and helped your heart!

I know it stinks to have a scar- but it's a small price to pay for now being able to do the things you love and being able to lead a full life now!!!

I would talk to your doctor and see if he can recommend a dermatologist or plastic surgeon. I bet when they figure out the right course of action for you, it'll hardly be noticable!

Your body is still probably healing from your surgery too -so maybe that's why the scarring has changed a bit. Hopefully soon though it'll just be an after thought and they'll be able to make it less notciable!

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I don't have issues with having a scar - I have issues with the scar getting wider over time!!! The scarring should be changing for the better, it is supposed to get less noticeable over time, not more noticeable.

Here's another comparison:

4 weeks after surgery:



7 months after surgery:

Originally Posted by sarahp

I don't have issues with having a scar - I have issues with the scar getting wider over time!!! The scarring should be changing for the better, it is supposed to get less noticeable over time, not more noticeable.

Here's another comparison:

4 weeks after surgery:

7 months after surgery:

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Goodness Sarah, that's aweful I'm so sorry hon. Having seen that comparison now i see how bad it's really gotten.

Maybe when you talk to your doctor soon they can see what they can do for the scarring I'd be frusterated too.

I saw something at the pharmacy called "Bio Oil" which is supposed to help reduce the appearance of stretch marks and scars. I haven't tried it yet, but I do want to.

I would talk to a plastic surgeon though for sure. They should be able to make that scar nearly invisible. I don't think laser treatment will work, but you can ask.

The incision further down just above your top, looks good and how the incision should look.

Yeah, the bottom half looks excellent! Right between my breasts, it's barely noticeable - unfortunately that part of the scar is never seen!

I actually have Bio Oil, and did use that for a while - like other things I tried, it made the scar lighter, but didn't stop it from getting wider, and hasn't stopped the sensitivity - it's quite painful when knocked or scratched, even lightly.

Apparently my doc is going to refer me to a plastic surgeon - I feel a bit weird about seeing a plastic surgeon, but I don't want to wait until the scar has gotten even worse!

It is still a relatively new scar, and may still be healing from the inside out. It takes about 2 years for a bad scar to really settle and be like it is going to be. Sometimes they do look worse before they get better. My doc that sewed my face up when my ex split my face from to my lip to my chin,right in the fold by my mouth told me that. It got awful and red and nasty looking for awhile, now I can sometimes forget it is there.

Originally Posted by sarahp

Apparently my doc is going to refer me to a plastic surgeon - I feel a bit weird about seeing a plastic surgeon, but I don't want to wait until the scar has gotten even worse!

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You shouldn't feel weird about seeing one at all! They may be able to help it look hardly noticable- and that would be good!

Sarah, take the referral to the plastic surgeon - don't be scared about that. I've had two sets of plastic surgery related to skin cancer. After having a mole removed, the consultant referred me to a plastic surgeon to have more tissue removed. It is by no means scary and many people were there to have scars "revised" - made less noticeable after they had suffered an infection etc in the original wound.

One thing you may find is that the width of the scar and the growth of it are two different things. Over an inch of tissue was removed from my back and then the wound stitched together (sorry if that's too graphic). The surgeon explained to me that although the wound looked tight at the time, the scar would widen, as it's an area where with bending and stretching the skin would need to stretch. It's about an inch wide now; however although it's quite wide, it is silvery so different from yours in that respect.

Definitely take the referral! However, at the end of the day, as others have said, I look at my scar and think that without it, I wouldn't be here now

Hugs to you I hope they can improve so that you feel more comfortable with it.