Keloid Causes, Diagnosis, Information, Prevention, Symptoms and Treatment at MedicneNet.com

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Keloid

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Revising Medical Author: Alan Rockoff, MD
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"I have a massive keloid on my chest, one on my left shoulder, and another on my back. The keloid on my chest has defied all forms of treatment (injections, surgery, silicone...you name it). It measures 12 cm x 9 cm and is still growing (started as two pimples). I also have to deal with recurring abscesses on this same keloid, and it is such an irritating feeling. I'd be the happiest person on planet earth to know of some definitive cure for keloid scars."

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What is a keloid?

Keloids can be considered to be "scars that don't know when to stop." A keloid, sometimes referred to as a keloid scar, is a tough heaped-up scar that rises quite abruptly above the rest of the skin. It usually has a smooth top and a pink or purple color. Keloids are irregularly shaped and tend to enlarge progressively. Unlike scars, keloids do not subside over time.

What is the difference between a keloid and a hypertrophic scar?

After the skin is injured, the healing process usually leaves a flat scar. Sometimes the scar is hypertrophic, or thickened, but confined to the margin of the wound. Hypertrophic scars tend to be redder and may subside by themselves (a process which can take one year or more). Treatment such as injections of cortisone (steroids) can speed this process.

Keloids, by contrast, may start some time after the injury and extend beyond the wound site. This tendency to migrate into surrounding areas that weren't injured to begin with distinguishes keloids from hypertrophic scars. Keloids typically appear following surgery or injury, but they can also appear spontaneously or as a result of some slight inflammation, such as an acne pimple on the chest (even one that wasn't scratched or otherwise irritated). Other minor injuries that can trigger keloids are burns and piercings.

What are the signs and symptoms of keloids?

Keloids are raised and look shiny and dome-shaped, ranging in color from pink to red. Some keloids become quite large and unsightly. Aside from causing potential cosmetic problems, these exuberant scars tend to be itchy, tender, or even painful to the touch.