Michigan Man Shares Heartbreaking Tale of Keloid Scarring + Insurance Fight
A Detroit man is sharing his battle with keloids - a condition that causes massive bulging scars to develop all over his body. And to make matters worse Davontae Stewart says his insurance company is refusing to pay for surgery to remove the scars.
Please Note: Some of the images shared in the video below may be difficult to watch.
His Fight With Keloids Began as a Child
Davontae Stewart says the condition began when he was just seven years old.
"Me being a kid, I scratched the chickenpox off and I woke up the next morning, and I had little bubbles over my whole body," he said.
He tells Fox 2 TV that a doctor suggested surgery to remove the small scars but that turned out to be a mistake because the scars grew back, and have been getting bigger over time.
"It’s spiraling out of control, it is already over 75 percent of my body already," he said. "And it is continuing to grow and I am scared for my life."
Stewart says the pain from the scars has limited his mobility, rendering him unable to work.
Insurance Refuses to Pay for Surgery
When Stewart finally found a doctor that could help - a specialist from New York - he was suffered yet another setback. Stewart was told that radiation treatment to remove about 90 percent of the scarring from his body is considered cosmetic surgery and therefore will not be covered by insurance.
A GoFundMe page has been established on Davontae's behalf to help pay for surgery.