Use of fillers on keloid prone skin

Question

I'm a 28 years old caucasian female with several keloids on shoulders, back and a few along my jawline. I have an indented scar on my chin from an accident when i was a child. I was hoping to be able to even it out with fillers, is there a risk of this creating a keloid? Not from the needle but from the filler itself, the substance? Creating irritation that provokes the skin to form a keloid?

Anna Chacon, MD, FAAD · Answer

That's a very reasonable concern, especially given your history of developing keloids in several areas. The good news is that dermal fillers themselves are not commonly associated with keloid formation, but your personal history means it's worth being cautious.

Keloids develop when the skin produces excess scar tissue in response to injury or inflammation. Although the needle creates a small puncture, the filler material can occasionally cause inflammation, nodules, or a foreign-body reaction. These complications are different from keloids, but significant or prolonged inflammation could potentially contribute to abnormal scarring in someone who is predisposed to it.

Because you've developed keloids on your shoulders, back, and jawline, I would recommend an in-person assessment before proceeding with chin filler. Your dermatologist can evaluate the indented scar, determine whether filler is appropriate, and discuss the potential risks based on your scarring history. The location and characteristics of the scar also matter when choosing a treatment.

Depending on the scar's depth and appearance, alternatives may include other scar-focused treatments rather than filler. No option is entirely risk-free, so the goal is to choose an approach that improves the indentation while minimizing the chance of unwanted scarring.

Bottom line: Having a tendency to develop keloids does not automatically mean you cannot receive fillers, but it does warrant extra caution and an individualized assessment before treatment.

Use of fillers on keloid prone skin

Answers (1)

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