Replied by Art (Tustin, Ca. Usa) on 11/26/2012
nc, you might consider having a vitamin D test (25 OH D test) to see if you are within the reference range of 30 to 100ng/ml. There is fairly recent evidence to suggest that vitamin d may be of benefit in the battle against keloids. Adequate vitamin d levels are anti-inflammatory and also allow production of the antimicrobial peptide, cathelicidin, which can help fight infections of the skin among other things. Here is a fairly recent article and abstract discussing vitamin d and its potential role with keloids:
http://www.medwirenews.com/66/91534/Dermatology/Vitamin_D_supplementation_may_reduce_risks_for_keloid_scarring.html
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2133.2010.10130.x/abstract
If you happen to have darker skin, your vitamin d production by your skin is likely to be reduced compared to lighter skinned individuals or if you do not get much full body summer sun, your vitamin d levels are also likely to be insufficient, especially as winter approaches.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2569323/
If you notice any improvement in symptoms when you get lengthy summer sun exposure, it might be worth giving vitamin d consideration, especially when you consider all of the potential health benefits of having a vitamin d level well within the reference range. Art
