BY OLIVIA MIWIL - 1 JULY 2014 @ 8:02 AM
If you are prone to keloids, any injury on the skin may result in a distinct scar, writes Olivia Miwil
IT is not easy to live with a visible growth on the body as it not only inflicts emotional trauma but also causes physical pain.
Having to live with a keloid scar on my left arm for 15 years has often brought out negative feelings in me.
The claw-like red scar draws second looks from people whenever I wear a sleeveless top.
Despite this emotional challenge, I have built my self-confidence to overcome my low self-esteem although I still feel uneasy whenever there are children around. The scar scares them to the point of crying and curious ones want to pinch it.
A gentle pressure or scratch is tantamount to a sharp knife cutting into the skin. Even worse, the pain is usually mixed with a sensation which can happen any time of the day without warning.
A few years back, I underwent treatment for keloid scar removal which involved a few sessions of steroid injections. There was little improvement and the pain from the injections was unbearable.
Due to the pain, I decided to stop the treatments. Then I developed three small keloids on my abdomen after undergoing laparoscopic surgery for appendicitis.
DIFFICULTY OF TREATMENT
Keloids result from an overgrowth of dense fibrous tissue that usually develops after a skin injury heals.
It can be differentiated from a hypertrophic healed wound, as keloids have claw-like extensions and a raised appearance. They occur between the ages of 10 and 30. Common sites include earlobes, chest and collar bone.
Dr Charles Lee, a plastic surgeon at KPJ Sabah Specialist Hospital, says keloid scars on the upper arms, chest and back are difficult to treat due to its high recurrence rate of 50 to 80 per cent.
Depending on the size of the keloid, standard treatment costs between RM800 and RM1,000 and involves surgery, superficial radiotherapy, steroid injections and compression therapy.
Immediately after surgery, superficial radiotherapy electron treatment is done to help reduce the excessive activity of the fibroblast cells, while steroid injections help reduce the formation of the keloid scar.
Compression therapy for arms involves silicone gel sheets secured with a tubigrip garment. This combination treatment method exerts pressure and prevents the scar from being raised.
However, compliance is an issue and patients often give up because they have to wear the compression garment for at least six months.
“The key is to prevent a keloid-prone person from getting injured or performing non-essential cosmetic surgeries,” says Dr Lee.
He says a person will know whether he or she is keloid prone after receiving the BCG immunisation injection.
Dr Lee, who has been serving in Sabah for 25 years, says he had a few female patients who developed dumbbell-shaped keloids on their earlobes due to ear-piercing.
“For keloid-prone patients, a small injury can cause aggressive scar formation and keloids.”
Keloid scar on the shoulder.
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