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Keloid Scar on chest

Posted , 33 users are following.

Guest
Guest

I had a small mole removed fom my chest, but the stitches split and have left me with a huge keloid scar. I'm so self-conscious of it as it right in the middle of my chest, so I can't wear any low cut tops, or if I do I wear a big necklce to cover it.

I had steroid injections and laser treatment a couple of years ago but if anything, has made it redder and itchier. I am desperate to have surgery to remove it once and for all but have a feeling it's going to be expensive. Any one had good results from surgery??

2 likes, 54 replies

54 Replies

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  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    i also have a keloid scar on my chest from open heart surgery. i have tried many treatments. i was given a gel called dermatix this is available on prescription. in my experience the redness faded which you could see the results within a week. i still wont wear a low cut top as my scar is still visible but much better than it was. i like you buy big necklaces to cover it. i was advised against surgery by my plastic surgeon as there are no guarantees it will work or it could be worse and bigger. hope this has been some help to you.
    • Vernors
      Vernors Guest

      Posted

      I also have a keloid scar from open heart surgery back in June 2014 mine hurts it feels like it burning and is really red looks like there's is inflammation so I use a little bit of bacitracin it takes the redness away and has flatten out towards the bottom I also get sharp pains going from my breast and chest and the scar feels like it gets tight the doctor keeps telling me it all healing process so I just keep doing what I'm doing and no I don't want any shots
  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    Hi! I too have a very long keloid across my chest for over 20 years and am getting steroid injections every 6 weeks or so to alleviate the itching. It seems to go down then up again, but at least the itching goes away and seems to flatten out a little and also make the keloid less dense. Hopefully over time it will flatten out completely. My dermatologist says the chest keloids are the most stubborn and you cannot get rid of them completely, so it boils down to maintenance. If you get surgery, there is a high percentage it will grow back and be larger than before. We just have to hope someday there will be a cure and until then, we just have to do whatever it takes to stay comfortable and be strong! The injections hurt for a few seconds but you get used to them!
  • JanetB
    JanetB

    Posted

    I have 2 keloids on my chest. A very large one right in the middle so I can't wear tops with even a slight v neck and a smaller one lower down. I have not had any operations or acne etc. The large keloid started off as a very small white spot and just grew and grew. About 9 years ago I had the steroid injections. At first every 3 months. Then I had one 6 months later and then the plastic surgeon stopped them as he said there is nothing else that can be done. The keloid did go down in size a lot but grew back though not as big. It itches a lot and I get stabbing pains which are very very painful. I have had to train myself to sleep on my back as lying on my side is agony. I'm very self concious about it and can't get any nice tops to wear. Summer time and holidays are awful. I've tried all sorts of creams. Aso cica-gare gel pads which made the keloid a bit softer but otherwise did nothing at all.
  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    I'm having a similar experience -- I only have slight itching and no stabbing pains, but I'm thinking about starting steroid injections for the first time. JanetB, do you recommend getting injections at all or should I not? I don't want to have constant pains if that's what results from the injections, but I'd do almost anything for my chest keloids to at least flatten out a bit. My dermatologist assures me that repeated injections and laser treatment is the best way to go, along with an antibiotic that reduces inflammation. I'm mostly scared of making them worse by trying to fix them at all... what do you think?
  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    I'm glad I had the steroid injections as they did make the keloid go flatter than it was. I used to get the stabbing pains before I had the injections anyway. The plastic surgeon said there is no point in having an op or laser treatment to remove them as they just grow back even bigger than they were originally. Good luck whatever you decide.
  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    Thanks for your answer -- how long has it been since you had the injections that made your keloid go flatter? Has it recurred? Did you have to go in for repeated injections?
  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    I too had a mole removed, the docter took my stitches out to early, the wound split and got stitched up again, and now a keiloid has formed. It is on my back near my shoulder. I absolutely hate it. It is so ugly and I am always conscious about it. I usually cover it by wearing my handbag over that shoulder. I am curretnly in the process of getting injections. 1st one was okay, second one made it swell and bruise. i am preying the swelling goes down because it currently looks worse than before. Goodluck
  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    I have a keloid on the back of my neck from a surgery i did last year. it is growing big so fast & its three times bigger than its original size now! iam so scared that it may cover my whole neck in the future but drs told me not to worry it will stop growing soon. iam using silicon gel at the moment but its not realy heping. i also did the injections twice but it came back after 2 weeks. am starting the injections again. surgery is not a good idea cus your keloid will only grow back bigger ! so plz dont go for surgery. just stick with silicon gel & injections. its only a cosmetic problem after all ! we have to thank god for all other blessings we have ! . andreas x love & peace !
  • sue2014
    sue2014

    Posted

    I have a big keloid scar on my chest, it came from acne which I even didn't notice! I feel very very embarrassed about it , I took about 4 times of steriod injection and V beam laser treatment. But it never leaves me. I wish it never happened. It hurts when I lay down on my chest. All the surgeons advised not to take the surgery. But I just wish there is a cure. I cant wear anything a bit low, literally a bit low, like not deep. It might be something i might bring till i die. Very depressing thing when i saw girls with V blouse. If i have an occasion and have to choose something nice to wear, its a nightmare sad I just want to be a normal one without keloid scar on chest.
    • Guest
      Guest sue2014

      Posted

      Hi Sue, 5 months ago I had open heart surgery and my incision has become a hypertrophic scar. To me it looks the same as a keloid!! Anyway, it itches and has a burning sensation....I HATE IT!!!!! I took lots of pictures before my surgery to member my chest before the as disfigured while saving my life. I am in the process of revamping my clothes, it sucks,I live in FLORIDA!
  • ZoyaAli
    ZoyaAli Guest

    Posted

    hey i too have a keloid on my chest but it didn't appear due to a surgery or something infect i dont even remember how it appeared. i have this keloid for almost 15 years now..iam really very uncomfortable with it as like all of u ladies i  also can't wear v neck or tops with low cut sad i was thinking for a surgery but after reading all of this i guess i shouldn't go with it. if u guys have any remedies or some treatment for this thing do let me know. xx

    pardon for my not so good english smile

  • belinda93610
    belinda93610 Guest

    Posted

    I have 2 large keloids in my breast, one Is from a insect bite only then the other keloid is from breast surgery Fibrosystic. I had steroids injections but it is very painful, so I decided to just use dermatrix but it's not getting better, is there another way of treatment, coz it's getting very itchy & painful, sometimes it is problem of getting sleepless nights. Please help I'm 61 yrs. old

     

  • Sopeap73
    Sopeap73 Guest

    Posted

    Nine years ago I tried to sqeeze a tiny pimple in the center of my chest. But somehow, it started to grow bigger and bigger. Over the period of nine years, that scar became at least 100X the size. It was very painful and itchy 24/7. I saw a few dermatologists and got many injections but it only got worse and grew bigger. I was told that if I have the keloid removed, there's a chance that the keloid will form again or even bìgger. I thoight about for quite some time. Then I realized that my keloid will continue to grow anyways, so I took the chance a d had it removed on April 25, 2016. After the nurse stiched me up, she injected steroids into and around the surgically area. It's still new so I don't know how it will turn out when it's completely healed. I'm nervous and pray that it will not form anther keloid. The surgical area feels tight and itchy now. I'm hoping it's just a regular healing process and not forming another keloid. I was told by the nurse that she gave me four layers of stitches to help prevent another keloid from forming. I'm currently cleaning the area many times a day with hydrogen peroxide and I used the cream that the doctor gave me. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for permenant elimination of keloid....😕
    • rtkiyoshi
      rtkiyoshi Sopeap73

      Posted

      Please let me know how it heals. Mine formed the exact same way!
    • SongOx
      SongOx Sopeap73

      Posted

      Hi, I am so interested to find out how everything goes for you !!!

      I have a very big keloid scar on my chest and I'm also really restricted in what tops I can wear and it really gets me down sad

      I've consulted plastic surgeons in the past that told me they wouldn't dare touch me in fear of it returning bigger then ever. They all took photos of it though for the medical books as they had not seen anything like it.

    • Cant33nchick
      Cant33nchick SongOx

      Posted

      Hi SongOx from someone a little closer to home

      ?I am in queensland and am having issues with a keloid from a surgical procedure the scar is only 6 months old but causing alot of pain and discomfort.

      ?

    • peridirect
      peridirect Sopeap73

      Posted

      Please, what is the updated status on your procedure? I am in the same situation and looking for a better solution
    • shavon44367
      shavon44367 peridirect

      Posted

      Hi Peridirect,

      I know your question was for the original poster but I thought I'd respond because i haven't given an update on my Cryoshape procedure since I got it 4 months ago. My chest scar is actually still healing. The procedure only took about 30-40min. The first 2.5 weeks I had to keep it covered only removing the bandage to shower and and clean two times a day. I got antibiotics for 5 days.

      It was sore/tinder the first 2wks but ok there after. The itching remained for several weeks which my doctor stated was part of the healing process. The jabbing pain normally associated with keloids went away soon after procedure.

      About 4wks after my Cryoshape I received kenolog steroid and 5-fu injections. The injections help flatten the scar while the Cryoshape helps kill the cells/tissue. So used in conjunction, the keloid will stop growing and flatten over time. I've now had 3 kenolog and 5-fu (mixed 50/50), one every 4wks since September.

      My scar is just about flat. Flat enough that you can no longer see the bulge under my shirts. I'm super happy about that! My doctor will not give me anymore injections until February (if I need it), as they want to see how flat it gets. Too many steroid injections and actually make the scar cave in-we don't want that.

      The injections are painful, the initial prick then followed by a burning/stinging feeling as the steroid goes into the scar. It bruises the scar, takes weeks to heal. My last injection was in November and the scar sight is still red and purple. It almost looks like blood is stuck or pooling under the skin. My doctor says this too is normal.

      It's still healing and not fully resembling what the healed area will look like but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel and I'm very happy I got it done. I wish I had done it sooner. I'm still not wearing low neck tops (like I said the scar is red and purple in various areas) but I'm hoping by the spring time I'll be healed and comfortable enough to be carefree. I've had this scar since I was 19 or 20, what's another 6-8mo I figure? Lol

    • peridirect
      peridirect shavon44367

      Posted

      Thank you so much for the update! I am seeing my dermatologist in about 3 weeks and I will let her know the procedure you have gone thru and request the same. This truly helps, please keep us posted over the next few months and I will do the same!
    • shavon44367
      shavon44367 peridirect

      Posted

      Awesome and good luck to you at your appointment. Start massaging your scar(s) for a few minutes multiple times a day. I used to do that (still do) and it made the scar softer. My doctor said it's most likely the massaging that has been helping with the healing. But also mentioned it was easier for her to stick the Cryoshape probe thru the scar because the tissue was so soft. Many keloids are hard and painful. I noticed prior to my procedure, that if I could keep the scar soft it would rarely hurt or get jabbing pains. But whenever I'd forget or become neglectful for several weeks it would hurt and throb with pains.

      Good luck to you again. Can't wait to hear how your appointment went. wink Where are you located?

    • dee_18574
      dee_18574 Sopeap73

      Posted

      It has been 8 months now and I too am wondering how you have made out from the surgery and injections. Did it help? If improved now what worked the best-surgery? cream? injections? Also what kind of cream are you using?. Thanks!

       

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