Finally Some Progress

This past week felt like a turning point for me.

As you know it’s been over a year I’ve been waiting to hear from the NHS about surgery after my last treatment. Apart from the occasional follow up message and pre-op assessment, it has mostly been silence. I know the system is stretched and there are many people waiting for care, but when you’re the one living with the condition day to day, the waiting can feel endless.

Fortunately I’m privileged to be able to consider other options and last week I started private treatment and had one of the keloids on my shoulder removed using laser treatment.

We travelled down to London early in the morning. Surprisingly the roads were clear, which already felt like a good start to the day. We arrived about an hour before my appointment, which is typical for us. My parents like to arrive early for everything.

Normally I would complain about being that early, but this time I was grateful. It gave me time to sit quietly, calm my nerves, and mentally prepare for what was coming.

Before starting, the doctor explained the plan for the treatment. The first step was numbing the area, which took about ten minutes and around twenty injections. That part alone was uncomfortable, but once the anaesthetic kicked in things became easier.

The first laser was used to remove most of the keloid tissue. Because the scar was large and thick, this took the longest part of the procedure. After that, a second laser was used to flatten and smooth the remaining area. This machine sounded much louder and felt more intense.

For most of the procedure I didn’t feel much pain. There was one particular section though where the area was extremely sensitive. Even after more anaesthetic I could still feel it. It wasn’t unbearable, but it definitely reminded me I was very much awake during the whole thing.

Once the treatment was finished, there was some bleeding that needed to be controlled before the dressings were applied.

I was then given antibiotics and an ointment to use for the next ten days. The instructions were simple but strict. Clean the area twice a day, apply the ointment afterwards, take the antibiotics twice daily, and most importantly leave the wound uncovered. No dressings and nothing rubbing against it.

That last instruction turned out to be harder than it sounds.

When I came downstairs to the reception area, my parents looked surprised to see me walking out so quickly. They had expected to be called upstairs to collect me.

At that point the pain was manageable, so we went to get some lunch before heading back home. Compared with other treatments I’ve had in the past, the first evening was actually quite tolerable. Sleeping was awkward because of the position of the wound, but I still managed to get some rest.

I thought the hard part might be over. I was wrong. The real challenge started the next morning.

Taking off the dressing wasn’t too bad, even though the area was sore and open. Cleaning the wound was a completely different story. Nothing really prepares you for that feeling.

The closest way I can describe it is like a handful of cold needles scraping across an open wound. That sharp, raw sensation when the air hits it and when you try to clean it properly.

Once the cleaning was done, I had to apply the ointment. That caused another stinging sensation that would last for an hour or two afterwards.

The good news is that this process has slowly become easier each day. It’s still painful in certain areas, but my body seems to be adjusting. The downside is that I still can’t wear a t-shirt because anything touching the wound irritates it.

It’s now been eleven days since the operation. The area is still an open wound, which isn’t the nicest thing to look at but my doctor has reassured me that the healing process is progressing as expected. I’ve been sending photos so they can keep an eye on it remotely.

Right now the treated area is much flatter than it was before the procedure. My biggest hope is that it stays that way as it heals.

Over the coming months the doctor will continue monitoring it and may use additional treatments like injections or further laser sessions if needed.

So this isn’t the end of the process. It’s just the beginning of the next stage.

After such a long period of waiting, it feels good to finally be moving again. This procedure is just one step and there will probably be more treatments ahead. But seeing the area flatter already gives me a bit of hope that things might be heading in the right direction.

For now, my focus is simple. Let the wound heal, follow the aftercare properly, and take things one day at a time.

Sometimes progress doesn’t look dramatic. Sometimes it’s just showing up for the next step.

And right now, that’s enough.

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