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Keloids Causes and Risks:
Keloids occur from such skin injuries as surgical incisions, traumatic wounds , vaccination sites, burns , chickenpox , acne , or even minor scratches. They are fairly common in young women and Blacks. Keloidosis
(cheloidosis) is a term used when multiple or repeated keloids are produced.
Most keloids will flatten and become less noticeable over a period of several years. They may become irritated from rubbing on clothing or other forms of friction. Extensive keloids may become binding, limiting mobility. They may cause cosmetic changes and affect the appearance. Exposure to the sun during the first year of keloid formation will cause the keloid to preferentially tan. This dark coloration will become permanent.
Prevention:
There is no known way to prevent the development of keloids in people who are prone to them.
Symptoms:
- skin lesion
- flesh-colored, red, or pink
- located over the site of a wound , injury, or other lesion
- nodular or ridged
- itching during formation and growth
Signs and Tests:
Diagnosis is made on the basis of the appearance of the skin/scar. A skin biopsy rules out other skin growths (tumors).
Treatment:
Keloids often require no treatment. Keloids may be reduced in size by freezing ( cryotherapy ), external pressure, corticosteroid injections, radiation, or surgical removal.
Discoloration from sun exposure can be prevented by covering the forming keloid with a patch or bandaid, or using sunblockers when spending time in the sun (for at least 6 months after injury or surgery for an adult; up to 18 months for a child).
Prognosis:
Keloids usually are not medically dangerous but may affect the cosmetic appearance. In some cases, they may spontaneously reduce in size over time. Treatment for removal or reduction may not be permanent, and surgical removal may result in a larger keloid scar.
Complications:
- psychological distress if large or disfiguring
- recurrence of keloid
- discomfort, tenderness, irritation of the keloid
Call Your Healthcare Provider:
Call your health care provider if keloids develop and removal/reduction is desired, or new symptoms develop.
Keloids are overgrowths of scar tissue that follow injuries. Keloids may appear after such minor trauma as ear piercing. Dark skinned individuals tend to form keloids more readily than lighter skinned individuals.
Keloids are overgrowths of tissue that follow injuries. Keloids may appear after such minor trauma as ear piercing. Dark skinned individuals tend to form keloids more readily than lighter skinned individuals.
Keloids are overgrowths of scar tissue that follow skin injuries. Keloids may appear after such minor trauma as ear piercing. Dark skinned individuals tend to form keloids more readily than lighter skinned individuals.
Keloids are overgrowth of scar tissue that may develop after injuries, even minor trauma. In this case, the excessive scar tissue occurred at the site of shingles (herpes zoster). Dark-skinned individuals tend to form keloids more readily than lighter skinned individuals.
Keloids are overgrowths of scar tissue that follow skin injuries. Keloids may appear after such minor trauma as ear piercing. Dark-skinned individuals tend to form keloids more readily than lighter skinned individuals. These patches of keloid have become darkly pigmented.
A keloid is a type of exaggerated (hypertrophic) scar that usually appears following an obvious injury. Keloids may expand beyond the margin of the scar to include normal skin.
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