Management of Keloid Scars: Surgical Versus Medical Therapy

Abstract

Background: Keloids are benign fibroproliferative tumors that extend beyond the original wound. There are many different medical and surgical modalities to treat keloids. Objective: This article provides a summary and review of the medical and the surgical options available in the literature for treating keloids. Furthermore, this paper organized the data into monotherapy versus combined therapy. Methods: A literature review was conducted using PubMed and MIDLINE that included English publications trials and reviews from April 2005-June 2018. Results: Monotherapy is unable to completely flattened keloids and a combination therapy is always needed. Monotherapy shows success with the intralesional steroid injection, but there is always a room for combination with surgical excision, or other therapies: 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), bleomycin and interferon, topical imiquimod, compression, cryotherapy, radiation, silicon sheeting and lasers or light-based therapies. Conclusion: The treatment of keloid is tested by a big number of trials using different regimens proving the resistance nature of keloid.