Man who developed horrific growths after a hot shave at the barbers 12 YEARS ago finally has the giant keloid scars removed
The keloid scars on his neck grew so large they weighed more than 40 pounds
A MAN left with life-changing scars after he was cut during a routine visit to a barber has had surgery to remove the mass.
Keith Crowell, from Milwaukee, developed keloid scars more than 12 years ago after a barber accidentally cut him on both sides of his neck.
Keloid scars are abnormal lumps of scar tissue that protrude from the skin.
When skin is broken - such as when it is cut - the body produces more collagen to heal the damaged skin.
Collagen, which is responsible for the skin's elasticity, gathers around the cut and helps the wound seal over.
Normally the scar would fade over time.
But keloid scars do not grow normally - instead, they invade the healthy skin and eventually become bigger than the original wound.
Keith's keloid scars grew so big on the side of his neck they weighed more than 40 pounds.
He has previously had two surgeries to remove the growths, but they were unsuccessful and the keloid scars grew back.
The third surgery was refused by his insurance provider as they deemed it a cosmetic procedure.
Then Keith's story was told on last year and since then, thanks to the generosity of strangers, he has had surgery to remove his scars.
WHAT ARE KELOID SCARS?
Some scars grow lumpy and larger than the wound they're healing – this is called keloid scarring.
When the skin is broken – for example, by a cut, bite, scratch, burn, acne or piercing – the body produces more of a protein called collagen.
Collagen gathers around damaged skin and builds up to help the wound seal over.
The resulting scar usually fades over time, becoming smoother and less noticeable.
But some scars don't stop growing, invading healthy skin and becoming bigger than the original wound.
These are known as keloid scars, which affect around 10-15 per cent of all wounds.
Keloid scars are more common on the upper chest, shoulders, head and neck, but they can happen anywhere.
They can appear:
- shiny
- hairless
- raised above the surrounding skin
- hard and rubbery
- red or purple at first
They can last for years and sometimes don't form until months after the initial injury.
Experts don't fully understand why keloid scarring happens.
They are not contagious or cancerous.
Treatment:
There are several treatments available, but none have shown to be more effective than others.
These include:
- steroid injections
- applying silicone gel sheeting for several months
- freezing early keloids with liquid nitrogen
- laser treatment to reduce redness
- surgery
Source: NHS Choices
Speaking after the surgery Keith, a casino security guard, said: "I feel a lot lighter.
"It's a lot of weight off my shoulders.
"I'm energetic. I feel more of myself. I feel more alive.
"I just feel good about it. I'm more comical.
MOST READ IN HEALTH
"I meet and greet the customers a little more.
"I'm more of a people person than I was before.
"My burden is over with. I can sleep at night. I can eat."
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