Scarred and Free

05/03/2026

Keloid Warrior is releasing a documentary that explores her personal journey living with keloids. Through intimate storytelling, she shares the challenges, resilience, and lessons that have shaped her experience, while helping raise awareness and visibility for others navigating life with keloid scars.

Ada, we are grateful for your voice and awareness efforts. We know there’s strength in storytelling and we are excited to see your docuseries!

02/03/2024

It’s that time again! Our annual celebration starts now. Welcome to National Keloid Awareness Month. We have a lot in store for you and can’t wait to share stories from our fellow warriors and educational content. Comment to show solidarity with all the warriors around the world.

05/04/2023

Hello SOC Community!
The Skin of Color Community is excited to announce our next event: Managing Dark Marks and Thick Scars! We are privileged to have board certified dermatologist and expert, Dr. Jared Jagdeo () and Scar Advocate, Nicole Mechelle (keloid skin awareness]]) as speakers for the discussion on how to manage different kinds of scars. Join us on April 27th 2023 at 7pm EST. Register using the link in bio. You don’t want to miss out!

Dr. Jared Jagdeo is a board-certified dermatologist and Associate Professor of Dermatology at SUNY Downstate Medical Center. Dr. Jagdeo also serves as the Director of the Center for Photomedicine at SUNY Downstate. He received his medical degree from Brown University and completed his dermatology residency at SUNY Downstate Medical Center. Dr. Jagdeo also completed a fellowship in Photobiology and DNA Repair at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute-NIH in Maryland. He founded the Laser, Aesthetics and Body Institute in 2018, which offers state-of-the-art laser technology and cosmetic services for dermatology patients. He is a leading expert in lasers and light-based medicine, with research interests in cutaneous photobiology, wound healing, and procedural dermatology.

Nicole Mechelle (keloid skin awareness]]) advocates for keloid skin awareness and founded the keloid skin awareness]] Instagram account as a global platform for activism, highlighting the stories of keloid warriors and challenging the current status of research, treatment, and funding. Her focus is on promoting self-love, authenticity, and visibility within the community and advancing the interests of keloid warriors.

24/03/2023

Smile Warriors, we are on camera 😂People see you. I see you. We see you! It’s not always easy and we shouldn’t pretend that it is. But we are still here…rising and becoming. When you get a chance, take a second to smile. Upload a picture of yourself smiling and tag us! .11 went first. It’s your turn!

10/03/2023

The Republic of Rwanda — located in the Great Rift Valley of Central Africa, a few degrees south of the Equator, bordered by neighboring countries such as Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo — is where you can find this warrior. We are worldwide.

07/03/2023

“The keloid on my ear happened when I had my ears pierced at a younger age. My neck and chest keloid I vaguely remember, but I believe it started as a pimple. I had my keloid on my neck and ear surgically removed and had the steroid shots…but they grew back bigger.” -

06/03/2023

“To be honest, I wish I was mentally stronger when I was younger and if I was, I would have applied that mindset in anything I had encountered.
That's it, that's all. Keloids have humbled me, change my outlook in life.” —

28/12/2022

The relaunch is happening soon. Thai time, it’ll be community and activism like never before (on all platforms). Make sure you sign up for the newsletter to receive exclusive updates. Click the link in the bio.

09/03/2022

Just a snippet of a Keloid Hero✨ Did you know .smiles was the first person using the hashtag while smiling? It’s was her infectious smile that connected us more than 5 years ago and she’s been an integral part of the keloid advocacy. Jonelle will join Scarred and Free on Sunday, March 19 at 1:00 pm ET for a live session! Meanwhile, catch her on TikTok: she.smiles6

01/03/2022

Welcome to National Keloid Awareness Month — a 31 day celebration where we amplify keloid skin and the warriors who carry them.

The Scarred and Free community was built on three core principles: activism, transparency and visibility. We exist to shift the current landscape of keloid research, but to build community to help sustain our fellow keloid warriors.

In addition to confidence, this condition needs funding, research and better treatment modalities. It’s so important that we partner with individuals in dermatology/medicine while controlling the narrative of keloid skin.

Lastly, we deserve beautiful lives. All of us, whether we’re scarred or not. But I have a special connection with keloid warriors as I’m one. I know we deserve to be free, but we also deserve to represented and cared for in dermatology and healthcare.

So, here are my hands. I don’t want to be the face of a condition that affects more than 18 million of us. I won’t mask this condition, but I won’t deny the beauty in it either. It’s painful, but glorious. I’m simply here to be a vessel and a fighter. I’ll always be an activist and community builder…and I’ll always be scarred.

It’s go time ✨

12/09/2021

Sunday’s glory.

06/09/2021

Beautiful warrior ❤️

“BLESSED” that God gave me permanent accessories.
Love yourself even on the hard days ✨
Your scars don’t define you wether it’s a cut, burn or keloid.
BE KIND to yourself and others 💖
If you are new to my page then let me introduce me and my scars 🤗 I have been living with keloids for over 20 years now but I still feel and know I am beautiful which makes me the ultimate 😂💕
If you would like to educate yourself about keloids like and follow my fav pages &
Don’t forget to grab a “BLESSED” necklace on my website before you go 🌻
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Link in bio to shop 🛍
Https://sunflowersbeauty.com/