Steroid Treatments

What Is Steroid Treatment For Scars?

Steroids are known to have inhibiting properties for metabolism in local skin areas when applied. Where there is excess collagen production caused by increases metabolic rates under the skin, steroids can be used to address the situation.

How It Works?

Steroids are administered either as an injection or as a prescription strength cream or ointment topically applied over the protruding scarred skin tissue. Steroids are known to decrease the metabolic rates at the cellular level and thus kill off collagen production that firms up or thickens keloidal or hypertrophic scar tissues.

Once steroid is injected, collagen cell activity wanes and accounts for the softening of these types of scars. They include triamcinolone acetonide or Kenacort-A which can come as an injectible or as a topical lotion that when applied forms a transparent film than can dry out the keloid and hypertrophic scar tissues.

Otherwise, direct injection into the scar tissue can flatten it or reduce reddening, itching and burning sensation if these are experienced.

Candidates For Treatment

Steroid treatment is best used to address one type of scar type where collagen build-up raises the scar tissue above skin surfaces are called hypertrophic or keloid scars. You often get them in healed surgery wounds as well as some caused by acne breakouts.

There are many scar removal techniques that can treat them like chemical peels, microdermabrasion and the more popular and less invasive laser resurfacing treatment that basically exfoliates outer skin layers to reveal fresh new baby-like skin. But for severe cases where collagen production can even cause itching to these scarred areas, the use of steroids can augment any of the above process.

Ironically in some cases, steroid injections can be augmented with collagen injection in the surrounding areas to puff them up can make the scar less prominent but you would needed repeated collagen injections for the life of the scar.

Cost, Results And Side Effects

Steroid treatment is a long term course that can require repeated injections or topical application. The cost per injection is minimal as it can range from $20 to $120 excluding professional fees. The healing process is slow as injection intervals can take between 4 to 6 weeks but side effects are very minimal and over time, you can expect the scarred skin getting noticeably smaller and lighter in color to match surrounding skin.

But a disheartening fact remains that many keloid scars can reappear despite repeated steroid injections and they recur with a vengeance to exhibit larger scar coverage or protrusions. In cases like this, surgical excision or other scar removal treatments can be attempted in tandem with steroid injections.

Steroid action often takes 3 months and a second injection may only be given after six weeks at the earliest. They must be allowed sufficient time for the injection to work completely before getting a second dose. Frequent skin injections with steroids may cause skin thinning and ulceration. It should be noted that steroid injections will not eliminate any scar completely and are often done in conjunction with other scar removing treatments.

Since the steroid compound is injected directly into the scar tissue, in general, there’s little or none that gets absorbed into the blood stream to cause any physiological complication or side effects. But it all depends on where the injections are made and where the scar tissue lies that will be injected.

If it is made in a sensitive part of the body where blood vessels abound, some can get into the blood stream. It is best to consult with your doctor if steroid injections can be done at home for the purpose of managing skin scars or better done by your dermatologist.

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