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Keloid scars are the most difficult types of scar tissue to treat because they tend to recur even after having undergone surgical keloid removal. This is why you need to try all non-surgical options before submitting yourself to surgery.

Fortunately, there are several non-surgical options for dealing with keloid scars. Any one of those procedures can be used on its own or in combination with each other as well as with surgery. If you're wondering what those non surgical alternatives are, here is a short list:

*Corticosteroid injections, also known as cortisone or steroid injections

*Compression Therapy and Compression Devices

*Silicone Sheets

*Laser Therapy

*Cryotherapy

One of the most common forms of keloid treatment are corticosteroid injects. These injections can help flatten out the scar tissue, however, even though keloids do become less apparent they will still feel different from the surrounding tissue.

You can use steroid injections before, during, and after surgery as well. Injections are used in this manner during keloid scar removal, to hinder the development of new keloid scars. The doctor will evaluate your situation and then determine the best course of action.

Another form of treatment that has been around for decades is compression therapy. It is used to treat burn scars and all types of raised scars. The compression devices and garments used are usually custom fitted and have to be worn for 24 hours a day and sometimes up to a year or more.

Silicone sheets are also used to help flatten keloids and other hypertrophic scars. In fact, they can be used on all types of scars, not just keloids. The treatment includes wearing these sheets for a few hours a day for several weeks.

Silicone sheets are sold OTC and can be cut down to size so that they fit the size of the scar being treated. Despite their success rate, they aren't as effective as compression therapy.

Laser therapy can also be implemented as an effective keloid scar treatment. This type of treatment used pulsed dye lasers to help flatten keloids. In fact, the use of laser therapy has proven so beneficial that it can also help reduce the redness that is common in most keloid scars.

Carbon dioxide lasers are highly successful and can also help reduce the recurrence of keloid formation. If you feel uncertain about which type of treatment you need, consult with your doctor.

Finally, cryotherapy is another option that can be used to treat smaller scars and scars that are in areas that are difficult to compress. In this case liquid nitrogen is used to help flatten the affected tissue. It is a very effective type of treatment, but it can cause a darkening of the treated area.