My story started at 16.

I was going into my junior year of high school when this journey started during summer football camp. I had a close-shave haircut and spent most of the day in a football helmet for three weeks. The back of my head became inflamed. What began as AKN eventually progressed into one large scar mass.

At the time, I didn't have the resources I wish I had. I didn't understand what I was dealing with or where the road could lead.

Over the years, I went through hundreds of injections and multiple major excision surgeries. At one point, an area roughly five inches by five inches was removed from the back of my head and left open to heal by second intention. My father cared for me while I healed. Later came several more major surgeries and many more treatments.

The physical side is only part of the story. There was pain, discomfort and depression. This condition became a major, difficult part of my life.

Keloid scarring also runs in my family, and I know from my own history that my body is prone to forming keloids.

If I had known at 16 what I know now, I would have had better information and better questions much earlier.

I can't change my path. But I can help make the path clearer for the person who's just starting theirs.

That's why I created Keloid Forward.