Patients who present to a podiatrist for a pain relieving foot surgery can unfortunately experience complications related to their procedure. Complications after foot surgery are rare, however we all heal differently.

Most patients will have their sutures removed after about two weeks of recovery and have a scar that follows the path of their surgical incision. Meticulous surgical technique usually results in a very thin scar. Some patients can get thickened scars that grow beyond the border of their original surgical incision, these scars are called keloids. 

Who is at risk?

Patients who are most at risk for keloid scars are patients that have a history of previous keloid scars or members of their immediate family who have suffered from this condition. Patients with darker skin tones show a greater incidence of this condition.

Prevention and Treatment

The most important way to prevent keloid scars is to discuss your concerns with your physician. If you, or family members, have a history of keloids, we will have a treatment plan that begins with meticulous surgical dissection in place. Closure of surgical wounds will be performed in a cosmetic manner. During the recovery process, a compressive dressing will be applied to reduce overgrowth of collagen fibers of which the scar is comprised. Your doctor will also have you apply scar cream to the wound several times daily. There are many scar reducing products available over the counter. In some cases a specialty compounded scar cream may be prescribed. 

In the case of patients who come into the office after the keloid has already formed, a steroid injection or the application of steroid-based cream can be performed to thin the scar and reduce discomfort.

If you need a foot procedure and are concerned about possible keloid formation, let us create a surgical and post-operative plan for your treatment to reduce your risk for this unwanted complication. Request an appointment today!

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John Botha 08/15/2015 06:01 AM
I totally agree with this article and the undergoing process of surgery incision cost you with severe pain. You have another option which I prefer mostly using the creams. Here is the link where you can find the keloid removal cream.
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cmg. 03/03/2016 06:16 PM
I warned my foot doctor of the high possibility of keloid scarring after foot surgery. He said he would keep a close eye to avoid this. For the first few weeks, he instructed not to put anything on the post op scar ... just the dressing and keep it dry. Thereafter, he saw a normal scar and said just use peroxide. On the third visit post op ... he saw the keloid and said that in 2 months he would inject the scar and in the meantime recommended a scar reducing cream adding that the scar tissue might manifest under the skin (causing pain and discomfort). This is disappointing as I expected him to advocate to keep the scar from forming in the first place. For that reason, as well as my intolerance to certain meds during and after the procedure, I will not have surgery on the other foot causing me pain. QUESTION ... was there anything he could have done post surgery to keep the keloid from forming?
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