How to remove keloid from belly button? (photo)

Hi there.

Thank you for the photo. Your scar does not look very keloidal in the photo.

In general, keloid treatments are a judicious combination of steroid injections into the scar, topical applications and/or laser.

Other injections such as antimetabolites, are for really recalcitrant and stubborn cases.

Surgery for debulking or removal is usually reserved for severe cases and inevitably followed by steroid injections sometimes even radiotherapy.

The above are the treatments that have the most evidence supporting them.

Hope this is helpful.

Best wishes

Thank you for your question! Keloids can be notoriously difficult to treat. I manage keloids on 2 aspects - the cosmetic appearance and functional deficits, which may involve persistent itch, pain or limitation of movement/function.

If you have yet to attempt non-surgical treatment, steroid injections alone or coupled with small doses of botulinum toxin/rejuran may offer some benefit.

In recalcitrant cases, surgical removal coupled with post-operative steroid injections would provide relief.

I hope this helps!

Best regards,

Dr Samuel Ho

Consultant Plastic Surgeon

From the picture, if the lump is causing you some pain, you will need to get it assessed by a doctor to exclude the possibly of a cyst/infection over there first.

If it is truly a keloid scar, treatment options include:

1. Application of topical products for scars like silicone based sheets or gels which help to regulate collagen production over scars, or topical retinoids/azalaic which increase cell turnover rates and hence reduce the appearance of scars and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation

2. Chemical peels

3. Intralesional injections with steroids and 5-Fluorouracil which reduce the bulk of hypertrophic scars. Occasionally I combine it with a small dose of Botox which helps to improve the keloid as well.

4. Lasers which include fractional lasers like CO2 which help to resurface the skin and reduce the appearance of scars and uneven skin texture, and Picolaser which is effective for improving scars as well. Photodynamic therapy with the dual yellow laser is also useful in reducing the pain and bulk of the keloid in my experience.

5. Needle subcision

6. Surgical Scar excision if there is no improvement with the above methods