There are these alternatives:
Dressings — Moistened wound coverings made of silicone gel (such as Dermatix) or silastic have been shown in studies to reduce keloid prominence over time. This treatment is safe and painless.
Steroid injections — Steroid injections are best used as the scar begins to thicken or if the person is a known keloid former. A series of injections with triamcinolone acetonide or another corticosteroid may reduce keloid size and irritation. However, injections are often uncomfortable and in large and/or hard scars can be difficult to perform, requiring local anesthetic for people over 16, and full anesthetic for people under. The treatment area can become very painful as the anesthetic wears off.
Compression — Compression bandages applied to the site over several months, sometimes for as long as six to twelve months, may lead to a reduction in the size of the keloid. This is the best treatment for preventing new scars.
Cryosurgery — Cryosurgery is an excellent treatment for keloids which are small and occur on lightly pigmented skin. It is often combined with monthly cortisone injections. The use of cryotherapy is limited since it causes skin blanching. It freezes the skin and causes sludging of the circulation beneath, effectively creating an area of localized frostbite. There is a slough of skin and keloid with re-epithelization.
Radiation therapy — Electron beam radiation can be used at levels which do not penetrate the body deeply enough to affect internal organs. Orthovoltage radiation is more penetrating and slightly more effective. Radiation treatments may reduce scar formation if they are used soon after a surgery while the surgical wound is healing. This is one of the more costly procedures.
Laser therapy — This is an alternative to conventional surgery for keloid removal. Lasers produce a superficial peel but often do not reduce the bulk of the keloid. The use of dye-tuned lasers has not shown better results than that of cold lasers.
Newer treatments — Drugs that are used to treat autoimmune diseases or cancer have shown promise. These include alpha-interferon, 5-fluorouracil and bleomycin. However, there is a need for further study and evaluation of this treatment technique.
Natural treatments (in case of piercings)-- Take a warm rag and hold it up against the keloid for about 5 minutes. This can also be done with a warm tea bag. Tea tree oil is also effective but is not recommended as it can allow bacteria to stick to it.
And finally:
5FU - Combination of steriods and anticancer drugs. A specialist plastic surgeon performs this treatment. Go to his site:
http://www.constructivesurgery.com/keloid_page.html
2007-01-23 07:37:00
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answer #1
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answered by Mukunda M 7
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No. But the surgery isn't a big one, so go for it.
2007-01-23 15:16:48
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answer #2
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answered by diannegoodwin@sbcglobal.net 7
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