Keloid Removal Surgery on a 3-year-old?

Childhood scars fair better than adult scars, but keloids continue to present major problems in adults and children. I would begin conservative treatment first with TAC injection, topical treatments, and silicone sheeting. Surgery should be a last resort, as is the case with radiation.

While it is not impossible to have a keloid at 3, it is not common. It possibly could be a hypertrophic scar. Sometimes conservative management with silicone sheeting and compressive garments may be better. When the child is older, a scar revision may be helpful if it is a hypertrophic scar. If it is a true keloid, it could require other things combined with surgery such as steroid injections or even local radiation.

I would be hesitant to perform invasive procedure on a 3-year-old for keloid treatment. From my previous managment of pediatric burn patients, I can tell you that most kids heal very well. What worked very well with kids, was silicone sheet treatment plus or minus compression.Injection could be the next level of action in big facial keloids. The effect of steroids on premature closure of bone ends should be well considerd but unlikely due to the small concentration and local delivery. Best... more

Keloids are a problem which continue to stump the medical community. This is very unusual in a 3 year old. What was the cause? Will it continue to be a problem? These are questions that are best answered by a qualified physician after a history and physical examination. It is quite possible that this will recur.