Steroid injection for Keloid

Hello,
I have a keloid on my chest and the dermatologist has advised steroid injections starting from next week.
I am a little scared about the injections. My question is: Is the process of injection painful? I am apprehensive about the pain when the needle is being injected into the keloid. Are the needles thin enough to be pain-free or is it going to be painful? I very much appreciate a response.
Best regards.
Ravi.

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

In an expert's hands, minimal pain from the procedure is noted while relief from the pain of the inflammation occurs rapidly.

You could discuss with your doctor about the injections and whether you would need local anesthesia. The treatment of choice for keloids is usually an injection of corticosteroid drugs such as cortisone directly into the lesion.

These injections cause the keloid to become atrophic, or thinner, and are repeated every three to four weeks until the keloid has been resolved to the individual's satisfaction. Other therapies include laser treatment or radiation therapy, and topical treatments are undergoing study.

Let us know if you need any other information.

Regards.

[Rebecca_jQ]

hi,
im 16 years old teenage..last year i got injured from hot water..after that recovered from the injured after 1 month but my shoulder....my doctor already told me that my wound will leave scar...when the time for check up in hospital,doctor ask me to inject my keyloid scar with steroid...and i have to go to inject the keyloid every month....its hurt...but recently i didnt go to inject the keyloid scar for 4 month.....is there will give an bad effect of my keloid scar?i appreciate with  a response...thank you!!
Rebecca(malaysia)

[mehakchadha]

hi iam mehak iam suffering for  skin problem(keliod) since 6 years. now it is a mature keliod.i am sacred of the injection pain but my  doc. said there is not other solution to it. my doc has prescribed tricort injection is this ok??i  have read so many articles and ppl said that even after injection it reappear.please give me right guidance so that i get rid off it.iam sared of injection pain  too much and is it really re re appeared??:( :( ( i have  so many question) please reply.. waiting...

[jjenjen]

I also have a persistent keloid located on my chest that developed from a chicken pox scar 10 years ago.  I have since had several Kenalog injections that improved my condition greatly.  There is no more pain, sensitivity, or tenderness at the keloid site and there has been significant improvement visually as well.  It is much much flatter and there has been a noticable reduction in redness.

As for the pain of the injection itself, in my opinion it was really painful and very hard to endure.  It is possibly due to the location of the keloid scar (center of the chest above the bony sternum).  But I will say that it was quite worth it.  I recommend taking a pain killer an hour or so before the injection and to apply a cold pack to the site prior to the injection to numb the skin.  I also recommend bringing something to hold/squeeze, maybe even someone's hand.  These to three things are very helpful!!

Of course I'm not sure about the long term affects of the injections but I can definitely say that I've received many compliments on the improvement and that I no longer wake up in the middle of the night in excruciating pain from my scar.

[jjenjen]

I did a series of about 5 injections every 2-3 months approx five years ago and haven't had any shots since but things are still looking good.

[portia88]

I have several keloids on my back and one on my chest and behind my ears.  I have been getting injections and although they are very painful it help with making the keloid shrink.  I dont know where they came from they just started popping up on my body.  I have about four on each side of my shoulder and one on my chest which i had surgery on.  That was a bad idea.  I was only 11 and the keloid came back even bigger than before.

[Ayush03]

Hi
I had steroid injections for the first time 1 week ago and the improvement on my keloid is astounding especially after 1 week only!  I am also using Mederma on the scar which seems to be working very well.  I am also rubbing ice on my scar, patting it dry and then using Mederma over it. I then use Micropore tape over the Mederma and it seems to work very well.  

[worriedpatient01]

I have had 2 keloids at the back of my ear lobes and have had them surgically removed. After the removal, there were some tissues still left and the Doctor requested that I have steroid jabs. However, after my first session today, I am very skeptical about going for the second jab next week; The jab sure hurt, however, it's been 7 hours since the jab and even though the pain has subsided, my ear lobe is still swollen and the worst thing is that my ear lobe feels numb. Can any experts tell me if this is a normal reaction to the steroid injection?

[saritobi]

Hi I had steroid shots two days ago for my keloids. The pain was very bad. It did not last long though. very painful only when doctor inject the substance into the keloid.  Will continue with treatment. My focus is stoping the itching and lancing pains and also wearing low cut blouses. :-)

[marydavix2007yahoocom213]

i had a keloid and has been on kenaloid injection fsince september last year 2009.
it was realy a hell
this was on my chest.
i rejected surgery.
but now it has gone my last checkup will be 15th september 2010.
but, during this time my mestral cycle was disturbed.
but today it has corected.

[febiola]

I had a keloid scar on my nose betwen eyes seem like everytime i looked on the mirror all i see is this keloid first, sooo annoying the keloid is about half inch wide it was really red and stubborn big fat keloid ,so i apply silicon gel ,mederma during the day and aspirin paste before i went to bed .after few days apply aspirin paste the keloid is flatten and the fuss coming out and it finally shrink, i continue it with applying tea tree oil every night before bed ,my keloid is now flatten and getting unnoticible on few days right before i'm scheduling for the kortisone injection thank's god aspirin paste works!!!

[buttner]

in other words... YES... THE KELOID INJECTIONS ARE VERY VERY PAINFUL!!!

i had two keloids, one behind my ear (caused by an ear-ring) and on on the side of my face due to having a mole removed.
I had steroid injections MULTIPLE TIMES! (roughly 6-7 times) (which was advised by a specialist plastic surgeon who i had seen)
once he had done the injection, it hurt slightly as expected, and the keloid had temporarily grown to DOUBLE the size. (lasted the rest of the day)

but as soon as i got back in the car on the way back from the hospital.. the pain was immense! honest to god, it was the worst pain in my life and i have had kidney failure and 6 broken ribs which punctured my lung! oops forgot to mention my burst appendix which nearly killed me..

anyway.. aside from all that.. it was truly the WORST pain IMAGINABLE!

I later had the keloids surgically removed (as the injections had no effect) and afterwards had the wound injected one final time with the steroid injection.. and now (3 years afterwards.. the keloids have not returned)

So my advice to everyone with keloids.. DO NOT GET THE STEROID INJECTIONS! theyre useless and the pain is immense! get them surgically removed!

But if you do wish to take the steroid injections.. if the pain gets unbearable.. DO NOT get angry and figity, DO NOT try to do things to take your mind off of it..
Coming from personal experience.. to decease the pain, just basically sit in your armchair, RELAX, and watch television! or listen to calm music. dont let anything disturb you, because this will just increase your blood flow which will agitate your keloids even more!, and it will become VERY VERY PAINFUL!

Thank You for reading,  and remember to get them surgically removed! if not, and you go for the injections.. remember to RELAX and stay CALM!

[speed1]

The last post is 100% accurate! I just got my keloid scar injected with cotezone and it HURTS LIKE HECK!!! This is my 3rd time having the injection. This time half the keloid got smaller and the other half looks like its getting bigger.

[ourkez100]

I first had keloids on my ear lobes from getting my ears pierced at 11yrs-old. After a few years the scars were so large they were surgically removed. Then a year or two later began returning and was recommended steroid injections. I had a fairly long course (about 8 or 9 visits, 6weeks apart) of steroid (the strongest version in Britain is called Kenalog) but it worked completely and there is no recurrance. As an older teenager I then had another piercing which soon scarred, and I am now part way through treatment with steroid injections again.

To all those scared of the pain - yes it is uncomfortable and stings, but it's over within minutes. And it can be sore and swolen for abut 24hours afterwards and throb, but using ice and a painkiller will help. It is certainly NOT the worst pain I have ever experienced. And the results are well worth it.

If you are having steroid injections you have to get them regularly and if you miss one or two appointments, it will set you back. An experienced doctor won't inject too often (no more than once a month) incase the surrounding healthy tissue atrophies (breaks down).

If keloid scars bother you, and they keep getting larger definitely consider steroid injections as they have worked brilliantly in my experience. But don't be dis-heartened - stick with it, as I say - my first scars took over a year to finally stop growing.

[ashokmakwana14]

I have a keliod on my chest, friends can you tell me keloid can remove by injection permanetly?

Ashok Makwana
Mumbai.

[Ariel15]

I have a keloid in the middle of my chest and several on my back, and I have gotten them injected twice. I am very afraid of needles but my advice is to relax, look away, and it really doesn't even hurt too badly! The 1st time I was surprised at how bareable it was. It feels like a ***** and it only lasts a second. Honestly, the hardest part was the fear as I saw the Dr. getting the needle ready. The results are so worth it!

[rawjrick]

I neglected to attend to the keloid on my chest for years and it grew extremely large and unsightly. I eventually visited a dermatologist and started a course of several monthly cortisone shots to the area. The injections are extremely aggressive and painful (as it rips through the built up tissue), but is definitely worth it, as it eliminated the severe itching and pain. I found that numbing creme (although topical and only numbs the outer layer) works to decrease the initial sting. Having the Doc freeze the keloid before injecting helps as well.
Continued treatments helped to significantly decrease/ flatten the keloid.
The best advice is to take action as soon as you notice a keloid developing!!!!!!

[speed1]

I’ve had about 8 injections for my scar and now my scar is barely visible. Yes in the beginning the injections were very painful but as my keloid got smaller the pain decreased. This process is worth the pain. Before you go in for your injection make sure you take a couple pain pills. That will take the edge off and you won’t feel so bad afterwards. Also don’t schedule your visit before you go to work. You will want to go home and lie down so let the pain meds do their thing.  Here is another tip. DONT SCRATCH IT!!! Scratching WILL make it worst! Please trust me.

[pebblestage]

I live with keloids on both sides of my face, upper arms, chest and back. There are so many scars that I cannot really count them all. Some of the scars I received after mandatory vaccination injections and others began growing after acne infections.

My keloids are temperamental. Some days they are peaceful, and others they stab, itch or burn with vengence. I have spent many nights tossing the turning unable to get a good nights sleep and more than enough days unable to focus because of the pain.

Like everyone who lives with keloids, I've learned to adapt. Backpacks or clothing that would otherwise rub my keloids have been traded for less irritating versions. I've learned to keep a cool cloth compress with me on nights that are particularly sensitive, and on really bad nights, I've settled with just not sleeping at all.

I suppose it's the not sleeping part that finally got me to pursue medical treatment. About 6 weeks ago, I set out like many of the above to begin kenalog injection treatments, and today marks my second round of injections. My dermatologist assures me that the pain felt with keloid treatment varies individual to individual. I am on the extreme end of sensitive. My keloids continued to burn and stab with the same painful intensity a full 3 hours after the injection. At the other end of the spectrum, some individuals feel relief immediately after after the needle is removed. Unfortunately, you won't quite know how you will react to the injection until you've had them.

Anyway, today's round of injections have tested me to the limit of my physical and emotional endurance. It has been a very long day. But I cannot begin to say how encouraging it is to know that there are others willing to share their story.  Anonymous though we be, I feel less alone in the knowledge that you are finding ways to live and thrive with the same condition I am experiencing. Cheers to all of you.

[Jljones]

The pain is tolerble,...I would say a 3 on scale of 1-5. It's not the actual needle. Its the substance being injected which Causes a burning sensation. I had topical numbing beforehand and next time i will try taking a painkiller an hour or so before as well. My keloid is 1.7 cm long and in middle of the chest which began as a tiny pimple. So lame. Today was the first injection- hoping this will work!

[lming]

i got keloids on arms, hips, face , back. I got injections for many years and ,  2 keloids on back and 1 in arm are flat but 1 keloid in upper arms near shoulders stopped growing for a few years but it rebound after i moved from Canada to Asia. I guess the humidity and i need to move the shoulder and arms often are the causes. The injections back to Asia was very painful and one time can't stop crying for a few hours even after the injection but it doesn't work at all !  it grows very quickly.  I started my lazer treatment for a clinical study 2 days ago and it is a much less painful treatment, and hope it works and with my result , more effective treatments in the near future......  i've lived with it for 32 years but still not able to accept them as part of my body....

[Jason883]

I actually had my first injection today on my neck, due to a previous surgery to remove a cyst. I have read on this forum that the procedure can be very painful, especially since my keloid is on my neck, which is fairly sensitive. But I was actually shocked at how little it hurt. It felt like a tiny little ***** every few seconds for about 10 seconds. So I would say the pain level was a 1 or 2 out of 10. Doctor said there may be a bit of swelling, but the pain for swelling is hardly noticeable.  Hope the keloid reduces in size, will update in a few months after I get a few more injections. Hope this helps for those who are considering.

[mojo98]

I just got my first injection for keloids on my sternum area and left upper arm 2 days ago. I have been running away from from treatments for the last 6 years, when my sternum area kelid had just formed and was really small. A lot of people scared me about the pain and I kept procastrinating the treatment for that long. 6 years has made my keloid 6 times larger. And the pain from the scar is like 10 needles from inside! Sometimes unbearable!
I finally mustered up some courage and visited a plastic surgeon in Sydney 2 days ago. I only went for consultation and had no intention of getting any treatment. She explained everything and said I could do it today. Then I thought to myself that if I got out of that room to think abt doing the treatment another day, I may never come back for it! I said, Lets do it! Very impulsive decision.. Im very happy I did it!
First of all about the pain from the needle. I was very scared even if she tried convincing me that keloids are less sensitive than normal skin. I didnt obviously believe her. But it didnt hurt much at all!! I guess because I was expecting the worst sort of pain. Personally for me, the pain I experience periodically in a month from these keloids are much much much more intense than the pain from the injection.. I dont know if this is the case for others!
Now, 2 days later, I have no pain whatsoever from my keloids. I also feel they've already begun shrinking! I cant wait for my next injection!!
My only advice is if you have a keloid, yes the treatments are from the medieval torture era! But I think, injections are a treatment you must definitely try before considering any other option. Its definitely worth trying out than living another day with these unsightly and not to forget, painful scars! JUST DO IT! DONT EVEN THINK ABT IT LIKE I DID FOR 6 YEARS!

[merrymonday]

before the injection go into the doctor early and have them put numbing cream on your keloid and sit there for an hour or so. it helps a lot and the pain of the injection is for sure bearable. many doctors will not do this numbing cream unless you ask for it!! it is ok for them if you suffer, what do they care?

[richyrich10]

Just got back from what is probably my 8th treatment. Keloids became unbearable last year (itch, sensitivity, throbbing pain when you accidently hit one). I've had them on my chest and shoulders ever since I was approx 16. I'm 45 now and soooo  glad I finally did something about them. Started treatment on them last year (once a month). I talked to my doctor about needle size and he is using the smallest needle on the market. The pain of the injection is Minimal compared to the results I've seen (I'd compare the injection to a pretty good pinch of the skin, . . you know like Mom used to do when u misbehaved). I'm happy to say the numerous keloids on my shoulders are all completely flat, pain free and itch free. The keloids on my chest have flattened some (not to the extent of my shoulders), but are pain and itch free. My $.02 is don't waste time delaying treatment cause these things grow from year to year and become more dense and harder to treat. Get the shots and focus on something pleasant while being injected. Trust me it's no worse than a pinch. I'm so happy I did the treatments and you can no longer see my "bumps" through my tee shirt anymore.

[coynonia]

did you inject the keloids on your face, i was wondering because i have them on my face on both sides, on my jaw and near my ear. I am nervous about this injection, trying a topical steroid and using natural washes , tea tree oil and lavender oil. most of my keloid comes from acne. and using thoroughly clean face wash help minimize my acne. i pop any pimples i get to avoid them turning into keloids, but some of them leave a raised skin colored bump. i am contemplating going to a dermatologist to do something about my sebaceous glands.

[pebblestage]

@ Coynonia - Yes, I am having injections for the keloids on my face. Your keloids are in a similar place as mine and I also developed the scarring from acne. I think the initial injections hurt most because the corticosterioid is being forced into a dense space. I've noticed that the keloids that have softened, hurt much less than those first few injections.

I have tried so many of the natural remedies that you listed. Tea tree oil was soothing for a time, but ultimately did not reduce the inflammation and keloid growth for me. I also tried months of Traditional Chinese Medicine which again did help with the itchiness, but ultimately those treatments did not change the size of the keloids.

Consulting with a dermatologist is a good move. Though I cannot speak to sebaceous gland treatments, when you find yourself ready for this kind of keloid treatment, I recommend finding a doctor you feel comfortable with before proceeding with injections. It took several visits and consultations with several dermatologists before I found someone that I felt I could trust.

Take care, and best of luck

[experience16]

    I had about a dozen keloids on my back from severe acne....This was about 45 yrs ago....Tried freezing them off--came back....X-rays next...They would turn on the x-ray machine and go take a coffee break...Believe it or not...didn't work either.....Finally after many many months of failed "treatment" they injected cortisone into the keloids...Now that worked....Like a miracle cure they got flat and the redness went away....Think about 3 months once a month injections did it....So go with the cortisone, it works...

[Sejan]

First of all until age 26 i was a fit and doing gym type guy, but now i have Keloids in my chest 10 of them are very small like pimples, 2 of them are size of walnut and one in the back is a size of cherry. I never had any kind of acne problem or skin problem. I was in London for 6 years finished my study from there and came back to my country in 2006. Then a year later found I have some kind of acne problem which i can't even understand the reason, first it appear on my face then I started to use face wash, a few months later they are just gone. Then a few months later the acne started to show in my chest which sometimes goes away and sometimes back. Then one morning i found a small pimple on my chest which i tried to pinch it and next day i found it grew a bit then year after there is 8 more like this and i was so scared. I didn't share any this with anyone even my mom. I even remember i was kind a guy who like to show his body whenever i goes to beach but now i try as much as i can hide my body. Am losing my self-confident and everything. Some time when i see my old beach pictures with friends it makes me emotional that what happen to me. Finally 3 days ago i told my mom and she was even shocked what happen to me. Then we went to a doctor who is also my class friend in high school. When he saw first he told me this is keliod and why didn’t you come to me before. Then he told me he will start to inject steroids to flatten my keliods. After when i went back home started to google about keliod and found so many things about them. Some says it’s never goes away, some says steroid is very painful, some says do surgery will make your keliods chance of comeback. Now am confused and scared even I didn’t go yesterday to my doctor for starting the treatment of steroid injection.  Please anyone who had successful  keliod treatment kindly please reply me your experience, is it really painful to put steroid injections, is there no cure for this?? Or what should I do or use after the steroid injections to get better soon.