Improvement Keloid Scar in Child with Skin Type Fitzpatrick IV after Combination Therapy: A Case Report

A keloid is a fibrous growth that forms when the skin's immune system reacts abnormally to trauma. Patients experience a diminished quality of life due to the cosmetic disfigurement and functional impairment caused by keloids. The recurrence rate is high, and keloid treatment is still challenging. The patient is a 16-year-old boy with a keloid history that dates back 2 years (Fitzpatrick IV). Thickened skin on the patient's trunk and left shoulder, together with itching, was the source of the patient's cosmetic complaints. This case was successfully treated by combination with one session of fractional carbon dioxide (CO2) laser and three sessions of triamcinolone acetonide injection. This is the first case report of a child (Fitzpatrick IV) who was successfully treated for a keloid utilizing a combined therapy of fractional CO2 laser and triamcinolone acetonide injection, with great cosmetic results that lasted one month after treatment. For patients with keloids on their face (Fitzpatrick IV-VI) and other skin types, we think this combined treatment strategy has a good chance of being safe and successful. This case demonstrates how the combination of fractional CO2 laser and intralesional steroid treatment results in a more efficient and successful therapy for keloid scars, as well as an improvement in patients’ quality of life.