1 (833) 453-5643Sometimes when a scar forms, it can continue to grow into is called a keloid. Keloids are benign growths that develop as a result of excess collagen formation in human tissue. They can appear anywhere in the body but are most commonly found in or around the ears, chest, cheeks, and shoulders. Keloid scars are not inherently harmful to your physical health, but they can be unsightly and negatively impact your mental health and self-esteem.
At The Keloid Plastic Surgery Center, Dr. Roberto J. Mendez and Dr. Gabriel Salloum offer a variety of proven solutions for keloid removal, including cryotherapy and combination therapies to minimize the appearance of keloid scars and lower the chance of regrowth.
What is
What Is Cryotherapy?
Cryotherapy, also known as cryosurgery or cold therapy, involves the use of controlled freezing temperatures to reduce or destroy abnormal or overgrown tissue. Evidence suggests that cryosurgery can be highly effective in the treatment of a number of issues, including tumors of the skin, cancerous and precancerous lesions, warts, hypertrophic scars, and keloids.
Cryotherapy uses extremely low temperatures to destroy abnormal tissues or cells, including molds, warts, and skin tags.
Keloid scars are unsightly and painful and can be very hard to treat. The most common therapies include steroid injections, laser treatment, and surgical removal.
However, these keloid treatments on their own, only work temporarily and may cause side effects, such as infection, bleeding, pain, swelling, bruising, and discoloration.
Essentially, cryosurgery freezes tissue, causing keloid-forming cells in the area (diseased tissue) to die because it reduces the blood flow. The therapy usually involves using liquid nitrogen, argon gas, or carbon dioxide at temperatures as low as -320℉ or -196℃. Liquid nitrogen has been found to be the most useful for keloid cold therapy. Cryotherapy is only reserved for smaller keloids, like those seen after acne scars, and it tends to be most effective when the overgrown tissue is relatively new. Larger or older keloid volumes can be successfully treated with a combination of keloid surgical excision and superficial radiation therapy or other treatment for keloids.
CANDIDATES
Cryotherapy for Keloid Candidates
Cryosurgical keloid removal is a good option for people with a history of keloids for different reasons: skin injuries, surgical scars, body piercings, tattoos, burns, insect bites, and so on. Keloid patients who are more prompt to these types of scars are people with darker skin tones such as African Americans, Hispanics, and Asians.
Cryotherapy is a safe and effective treatment option for keloid patients who haven’t had any previous treatments. However, cryotherapy isn’t appropriate for every keloid size. This type of procedure works better for patients with small keloids. However, patients should discuss the options and benefits of cryotherapy for keloids with their doctor before undergoing this procedure.
Preparation
Cryotherapy Preparation & Procedure
Cryotherapy for keloid removal doesn’t require a whole lot of preparation on your part. However, although cryosurgery is considered a safe, minimally-invasive procedure, it is essential to find a licensed and experienced provider who has a track record of successfully treating keloids and scars, like the experts at The Keloid Plastic Surgery Center. This is because keloid tissue has a high recurrence rate (chance of coming back), and in some cases, it can return even larger than the original keloid.
During keloid cryosurgery, your doctor will apply a local anesthetic to numb the area. Depending on its size and location, the provider may use both topical and intralesional cryotherapy, which involves inserting a thin cryosurgical needle in the keloid itself to administer liquid nitrogen and freeze the tissue from the inside out. Several sessions are typically needed for the best results.
SIDE EFFECTS
Side effects of Keloid Cryosurgery
Like all medical procedures, there are some risks associated with cryotherapy. Although rare, cryotherapy keloid side effects may include:
- Damage to nearby tissue and blood vessels
- Scarring
- Blisters
- Ulcers
- Infection
- Skin discoloration
- It is estimated that as many as 50% of keloids will not become flat after cryotherapy, and many of them can recur
There is no downtime associated with intralesional cryotherapy for keloids. Following your treatment, your doctor will provide detailed aftercare instructions to help you care for the lesion and prevent the development of new keloid tissue at the treatment site. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call the office at 1 (833) 453-5643.
Best Results
Combined Cryotherapy with Other Treatments
No one is impervious to scars, which occur when the skin is wounded, and the body triggers a healing reaction to close the gaps created by the injury. Part of this biological process involves the release of collagen, the body’s most abundant protein, which, among other things, is responsible for creating and strengthening skin tissue. But when the body produces too much collagen, the new connective tissue can grow beyond the margins of the wound itself, forming a raised, hard lump. In individuals prone to keloids, the scar tissue can continue building up uncontrollably over the course of months or years, even after the original wound or hypertrophic scars are removed.
Unfortunately, once keloids occur, they have a high chance of recurring every time the skin is injured, even if it is from keloid surgical procedures. Since no single medical therapy has been shown historically to be 100% effective in the treatment of keloids, it is very common and recommended to combine different therapeutic modalities, especially with larger keloids. At The Keloid Plastic Surgery Center, your doctor may recommend any combination of the following procedures to reduce the risk of keloid development:
Contact
Schedule A Consultation Today
The combination of cryotherapy with other therapeutic approaches, such as corticosteroid injections, surgical excision, or Superficial Radiation Therapy, has proven to be a safe, painless, and efficient approach for the removal of keloids and small hypertrophic scars. If you wish to learn more about cryosurgery or other non-invasive treatments and the cost of keloid removal at The Keloid Plastic Surgery Center, please call 1 (833) 453-5643 or fill out our online Contact Us form.
BEFORE & AFTER GALLERY
Natural & Unparalleled Results
Surgeries performed by renowned plastic surgeon Roberto J. Mendez M.D. and double board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Gabriel Salloum in Miami Beach, FL
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions about Cryotherapy
Keloids form as a result of an abnormal and uncontrolled healing reaction. Any sort of skin injury can lead to a keloid, including:
• Piercings and tattoos
• Cuts, scrapes, scratches, and bumps
• Insect bites
• Surgical wounds
• Burns
• Hair removal
• C-sections
• Chickenpox scars
• Acne scars
While anyone of any age, race and ethnic background can develop keloids, the following individuals have been shown to carry a higher risk:
• People under the age of 30
• People of Black African, Caribbean, Asian, and South Indian descent
• People with a personal or family history of keloids
The cost of keloid cryotherapy varies depending on the size and extent of the keloid, the number of sessions required, and more. During your initial consultation at The Keloid Plastic Surgery Center, our team can let you know what the expected cost of your keloid cryosurgery sessions will be and let you know about the payment options available to you.
Because keloid removal is considered by some health insurance companies to be a cosmetic procedure, it is not generally covered by health insurance.
No, cryotherapy for keloids doesn’t hurt. However, you may feel an unpleasant cold sensation at the treatment site. Your doctor can administer numbing cream or a local anesthetic to make the procedure more comfortable.
Some keloids may grow back even after successfully removing them with cryotherapy. Therefore, combining two or more approaches is generally the best course of action to reduce the likelihood of recurrence.
It can take three or more cryotherapy sessions to successfully flatten a keloid.
No, unlike other types of scars, keloids do not go away or reduce in size on their own. Evidence shows that keloids can continue growing for months or years after the initial lesion or injury.
If you live near Miami Beach, our office is conveniently located at 4300 Alton Rd #720, Miami Beach, FL 33140.
TESTIMONIALS
What our Patients say
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Why Choose Plastic Surgeon Dr. Mendez?
- Board certified plastic surgeon for more than 20 years
- Certified by American Board of Plastic Surgery
- Member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons
- Fellow of the American College of Surgeons
- Graduate of Saint Louis University and Ponce School of Medicine
Why Choose Plastic Surgeon Dr. Salloum?
- Double-board certified plastic surgeon by The American Board of Surgery and The American Board of Plastic Surgery
- Training at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN
- Residency at the Mount Sinai Medical Center
- Plastic Surgery Program at the University of Texas at Houston
Last modified by Dr. Gabriel Salloum
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