If you suffer from raised scars from acne or other injuries, intralesional steroid injections are an established way to flatten and improve the scar appearance.
How do Steroids for Scars work?
Acne scars most often look like small indentations on the skin, but the reverse can occur and the scar may overgrow outwards. Most commonly seen on the chest and back, keloidal acne scars are disfiguring and notoriously difficult to clear. The same goes for scars on other parts of the body - they can enlarge, becoming hypertrophic scars or keloids. Intralesional steroid injections have been used since the mid-60s for the treatment of raised keloids, flattening scars by softening skin and shrinking down hard scar tissues.
Seemingly simple at first glance, intralesional steroid injection is not without its risks. The expertise and injection technique employed is just as crucial as the amount and dilution of the medication used, as there’s always a risk of fat and skin atrophy with steroid injection(s) that can result in dimpling or converting the raised scars into atrophic scarring if not done properly.
Hypertrophic scars and keloids are conditions that typically respond to steroid injections. To improve the appearance of your raised, red scars
Treatment times, pain and downtimes
Treatment takes about 5-10 minutes. The injection itself may be a little painful, as the thick, fibrous tissue is stretched. Most patients find it very tolerable with adequate distraction and numbing.
There is no downtime associated with it. You can return to all activities immediately after.
What to expect?
After a few sessions, you will notice the scar flattening out
FAQs
2-3 sessions
Usually three or more injections spread one month apart are needed to achieve the desired results. Therapy may continue for six months or longer, as there is up to a 50% chance that the symptoms of your raised scar will recur.
We can use lasers and various dressings to help with the appearance of scars. These are usually done together with the injection.
The treatment may not be successful or the scar may recur. In such an instance, we usually will advise multiple treatment methods together. Occasionally, a surgical revision of the scar may be necessary.
You Don't Need Your Scars To Remind You Sometimes.
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