Prevention and Treating Keloid Scars

Posted on 07/27/2012 by Michael James

According to American Osteopathic College of Dermatology, a keloid is scar tissue protruding from the skin at the site of an injury. It is caused by fibroblasts (connective tissues) being overactive in the healing process and producing extra tissue. Some people are genetically prone to keloid formation and people with dark skin types are often more at risk, notes the NHS website. For these people, skin damage as small as a pimple or piercing can cause keloid formation.

Step 1
Apply steroid-impregnated tape to the injury site. If you are at risk of developing keloids, preempt their development by applying a dressing doused in a natural steroid like cortisone to the wound for 12 hours a day, notes the NHS website. Alternatively, AOCD notes, use a pressure dressing pad or tape containing silicone gel and where for 24 a day. This also can stop the development of keloids.
Microskin for Scars Helps Cover Up Scars Instantly! Waterproof, No Rub Off, Last Days. www.microskincenter.com
Sponsored Links
Step 2
Schedule an appointment with your dermatologist to discuss laser treatment for the keloid scar. A heated laser can help reduce skin redness and improve texture of the skin, according to AOCD, but it will not help flatten out the keloid in any way.
Step 3
Consult your dermatologist about a method called cryosurgery to help reduce the keloid. This involves freezing the scar with liquid nitrogen and subsequently stopping the swelling. It can be applied via cotton ball and sprayer. It is good for use on new and small keloids as it can prevent them growing further, notes AOCD. As Acne.org notes, the liquid nitrogen can also cause the scar tissue to die completely, allowing for removal.
Step 4
Get cortisone injection treatment for your keloid scars. This natural steroid is a corticosteroid produced in the adrenal glands of the body and is said to help reduce swelling and inflammation, notes Acne.org. AOCD advises to inject the cortisone directly into the keloid once a month. A noticeable flattening of the scar may begin to occur within three to six months.
Step 5
Attempt to remove the keloid via surgery. In the most extreme cases, the keloid can be sloughed off, then the site exposed to electron beam and orthovoltage radiations to prevent any regrowth. AOCD states that exposing the wound to X-rays has stopped regrowth in 85 percent of cases.

Scars & Wound Healing

Posted on 07/20/2012 by Michael James

Scars are the evidence of injury and the preexistence of a wound. The wound can be minor or traumatic either way a malformation and marking of the skin can occur leaving a scar. Understanding wound healing is important if one wishes to reduce scarring.

Scars

Wound Healing

Any trauma to the skin can create a wound can create a wound which leads to the potentiality of scarring. There are many physiological processes that effect wound healing. The process is a delicate one in which many various factors can affect the outcome. The outcome can be minimal to severe scarring. Wounds are made of collagen. Collagen is produced by the body to hold the wound together.

3 Phases of Wound Healing

1. The inflammatory phase, this phase begins upon injury, immediately when the wound is sustained and it lasts 2 to 6 days. During this period the injured area is usually warm and red. The wound is often swollen at this time and painful. The inflammatory phase is characterized by:
a. The cessation of bleeding
b. The proliferation of white blood cells to the wound area to fight bacterial infection
c. The formation of collagen begins. In this phase, the wound is usually warm, red, swollen, and painful.

2. The proliferative phase begins next and continues approximately 3 to 4 weeks. Collagen production increases rapidly drawing the borders of the wound together facilitating wound closure. The body also produces new capillaries to aid in healing. The proliferative phase is characterized by:
a. The skin edges of the wound become visibly thicker.
b. Granulation tissue is formed this is often represented by new red, bumps in the shrinking wound
c. Cells that help to keep the wound clean and fight infection can cause the wound to be wet, weeping, and white or yellow in appearance. (However if thicker white pus presents; it is a sign of an infection and should be treated.)

3. The maturation phase follows the proliferative phase and continues for a period from several weeks to several years. This phase involves the formation of even more collagen to strengthen the wound, and the development of scar tissue. This is the body’s form of “remodeling” to lessen excess collagen in the scar. This can be observed by example of a thick, red, raised scar to a thin, flat, blended scar over a period of months to years.

Moles and Changes in Skin Should be Monitored

Posted on 07/10/2012 by Michael James

Mole removal in eyebrow results in modest scarring.

Skin Moles or Beauty Marks

A common skin malady is moles. Sometimes they are referred to as beauty marks. Moles cross all ethnicities. They are raised spots or nodules of skin that are usually darker than the surrounding skin. People with fair skin are more susceptible to having moles.

Moles are typically benign but dermatologists recommend strongly that they should be monitored as changes can be indicative of some pathology such as certain types of skin cancer. When monitoring a mole one should look to observe changes in any of the following: size, shape, color and formation.

This is important because melanoma one of the possible forms of cancers can be fatal. This type of self assessment in some instances are preventative or provide early detection which can be life saving. Melanoma when diagnosed early is often curable.

People with moles, family history should check there skin once a month for changes according to some dermatologist. Even if you are not known to be at higher risk for melanoma or other forms of skin cancer observing and monitoring changes in ones skin should be followed up with appropriate medical evaluation. Moles in children are not unusual and they may grow or change color as a child grows. This is not usually an indication of skin cancer. Some may even disappear in adolescence.

Higher Risk Factors:
• People with a high number of moles with some larger than 1.5 mm are at an increased risk of melanoma.
• People with fair skin are more likely to have many moles and they are more sensitive to sun exposure.
• Regular mole checks are necessary on people with these risk factors.

The palms of the hands and soles of the feet do not grow moles; they can appear anywhere else on the body. In areas frequently exposed to sun they can appear in clusters. Moles that demonstrate no signs of pathology are usually not harmful or medically significant. Still, for cosmetic purposes some people want to have them removed. This can be done by a qualified medical doctor such as a dermatologist. Various methods can be used to remove a mole. The best skin doctors opt for a method that is the least invasive if possible. Cosmetic removal choice is most often done to minimize the scarring particularly in high visibility areas like the face.

Chemical Peel Treatment for Skin Scarring

Posted on 07/03/2012 by Michael James

Environment and Aging Can Scar the Skin

There are many things in life that cause the skin to appear damaged or to lack a healthy look. Ordinary aging, acne and exposure to the sun caused the skin to become spotted, wrinkled, scarring and even changes in the skin tone. A chemical peel removes the damaged layers and brings newer healthier cells to the visible surface.

Chemical Peels for Skin Rejuvenation
Chemical peels improve and smooth the texture of the facial skin using a chemical solution. This solution causes the outer layer of cells (dead skin) to slough off or to eventually peel off. The newly exposed regenerated layer of skin is shows less signs of damage in most cases. It is usually smoother, clearer and less wrinkled than the old skin.

Some chemical peels can be purchased and administered without a medical license using over the counter products. This is not recommended it is best to enlist the expertise of professional help from a dermatologist, esthetician, plastic surgeon, or otolaryngologist. These professionals can best determine the type of derma peel suited best for you.

Although chemical peels are used mostly on the face, they can also be used to improve the skin on your neck and hands.

You can improve:
• Acne or acne scars
• Age and liver spots
• Fine lines and wrinkles
• Freckles
• Irregular skin pigmentation
• Rough skin and scaly patches
• Scars
• Sun-damaged skin