What Should You Do If You Have Keloid-Prone Skin When Considering Eye and Nose Surgery?

Hello.

This is Vibe Plastic Surgery.

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Some of you may notice that your scars tend to heal larger than usual.

In such cases, many people assume

that their skin type is keloid-prone.

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However, if you have this type of keloid-prone skin,

it can be difficult to determine whether plastic surgery is possible.

Today at Vibe, we will explain this topic

in detail.

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What is a Keloid?

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It refers to a phenomenon where a scar proliferates

excessively compared to others when injured,

to the point of becoming a pathological issue.

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Usually, for those with a keloid-prone constitution,

when a scar forms due to inflammatory causes,

you can think of it as these two factors combining

to leave a keloid scar.

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Hypertrophic Scar VS Keloid: What is the Difference?

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Most people who believe they have keloids

actually fall under the category of hypertrophic scars.

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A hypertrophic scar means:

Scar = mark / Hypertrophic = becoming thick and enlarged.

In other words, you can think of it as a scar

that remains larger than the normal range.

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Simply having a prominent scar

is what we commonly refer to as a hypertrophic scar,

but many people mistakenly misunderstand

and call it a keloid.

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When board-certified plastic surgeons look at a scar,

they can visually distinguish whether it is

a hypertrophic scar or a keloid,

but it is difficult for the general public to tell them apart.

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In actual diagnosis, a small portion of the tissue

from the scarred area is extracted,

and the diagnosis is made based on

histological and pathological findings,

which is why it can be very confusing.

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Where Do Keloids Frequently Occur?

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Even if someone is actually diagnosed with keloids,

it does not mean that large scars will form all over their body;

there are specific areas where they frequently occur.

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Usually, they are localized to areas such as

the earlobes, the front of the neck, the front of the chest, and the front of the abdomen.

You can consider these as the primary areas.

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Keloid Scars in Eye and Nose Surgery?

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Fortunately, regarding eye and nose surgeries,

which garner the most interest,

there are almost no reported cases of keloid scars.

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Therefore, even if you do not know whether

you have keloid-prone skin or not,

you do not need to worry too much about scarring in commonly performed eye and nose surgeries.

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How Are Keloid Scars Treated?

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When a keloid scar forms,

it is not unconditionally removed through surgery.

First, injections containing steroids are used

to reduce the size as much as possible.

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However, if the growing keloid scar

has been reduced to the smallest possible size,

yet a noticeable scar remains and causes concern,

surgery is then performed to remove it.

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Causes of Hypertrophic Scars?

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There are factors that can cause excessive scarring:

- When the surgical site is pulled too tightly

- When the surgery is performed unhygienically

Because there are various factors like these,

if the surgery is performed while avoiding these issues,

you do not need to worry too much about hypertrophic scars.

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Among those who believe they have keloids,

very few are actually diagnosed with them.

Therefore, if you are planning eye and nose surgery

and are worried because you think you have keloids,

please visit Vibe Plastic Surgery

and find out through a consultation.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between keloid skin and hypertrophic scars?

Yes, the two differ in the appearance and cause of the scar. A hypertrophic scar is a phenomenon where the scar remains larger than the normal range, while a keloid is a phenomenon where the scar proliferates excessively to the extent of being pathologically problematic. It is difficult for the average person to distinguish with the naked eye, so it is accurately diagnosed through tissue biopsy.

Can keloid skin undergo eye and nose plastic surgery?

Yes, it is entirely possible. Fortunately, there are almost no reported cases of keloid scars in the eye and nose surgery areas that we frequently encounter. Therefore, even if you are not sure whether you have a keloid predisposition, you do not need to worry too much about scars during eye and nose surgery.

Where do keloid scars mainly occur?

They mainly occur in specific areas such as the earlobes, front of the neck, front of the chest, and front of the abdomen. Even if you are diagnosed with keloids, not all wounds throughout the body will result in large scars, and the frequently occurring areas are somewhat fixed.

How are keloid scars treated after plastic surgery?

First, treatment is performed using injections containing steroids to minimize the size of the scar. If, despite reducing the size with injection treatment, a noticeable scar remains and is bothersome, the scar can be removed through surgical methods.

What are the main causes of hypertrophic scars?

They mainly occur when the surgical site is excessively pulled during suturing or when surgery is performed in an unsanitary environment. By avoiding these factors and performing surgery safely and hygienically, the worry of hypertrophic scars can be greatly reduced.