What Are Keloids And How Are They Treated?

What Are Keloids and How Are They Treated?

Every injury to the skin leaves a scar. This abnormal scar, that is, keloid , formed after the injury and its treatment options, Plastic Surgeon Ege Ozgentas MD explains:

“ Keloid is a type of overgrown scar, or extremely aggressive healing that takes place in a wound.

In wounds such as a minor burn, cut, or abrasion, keloids that form in response can form as part of the body's natural healing process.

In most cases, scars will usually shrink and fade over time, but in some people, the skin can overreact to the damage, resulting in scars that are much larger than the original wound.

Here are the scars that occur in this case. It is called keloid .

Thick and irregular keloid scars rarely go away on their own. It requires treatment, and this can be difficult. Therefore, it is much more important to prevent the formation of keloids before treatment. 

Symptoms Of Keloids, What Do Keloids Look Like?

If you notice any of the following :

It emerges slowly
May take 3 to 12 months or even longer before you notice a keloid starting to develop; most tend to occur within a year of the original skin injury.

It can spread rapidly
Sometimes keloids spread quickly and can triple in size in as little as a few months, for example.

It may itch
Your scar may be itchy, tender, or painful. These symptoms usually stop after the keloid develops.

Can be easily irritated
It tends to be easily irritated when rubbing against clothing.

There may be darkening
It gradually darkens. A keloid typically begins as a pink, red, or tan scar that darkens over time and appears darker than the skin around the wound.

Keloids Occur Most Often?

Keloids can appear anywhere on the body. However, it is less common on the eyelids, genitals, soles or palms.

They often develop on the following parts of the body:

• Ears

• Neck

• Shoulders

• Chest

Keloids should not be thought of only as a skin defect. Depending on the size of the scar and where it is on the body, it can affect your range of motion in that area of the body.

Physical symptoms such as pain or itching can impair psychological health and harm emotional health if noticed or felt to be unattractive.

How Are Keloids Diagnosed?

Keloids can be diagnosed by a doctor by checking the size, shape, and growth pattern.

Your doctor may also He or she may do a skin biopsy to rule out more serious conditions such as a type of connective tissue disease called scleroderma or lobomycosis , a fungal infection of the skin.

How Are Keloids Treated?

Keloids usually do not need to be treated. However , if the keloid scar causes discomfort or prevents movement, treatment may be considered.

If the scar is large or very visible on your body, your doctor can help you find ways to reduce the size and prominence of the keloid .

There is no single treatment that works best for all keloids. Generally, it is useful to tailor the treatment to the individual based on factors such as age and keloid type.

Keloids are difficult to completely remove, and using more than one type of treatment often improves results.

Cryotherapy: This treatment, which gives the best results in small keloids , is freezing the keloid from the inside out.

Pressure Therapy: This is the wearing of a device or a special garment to apply pressure to the area and reduce blood flow to the area to prevent the keloid from regrowth.

While effective, this treatment, often used after surgery, can be difficult for many people.

Radiation Therapy: Low-dose radiation therapy after surgery can help prevent the scar from growing back.

Laser Treatment: This treatment uses high-energy light beams to reduce the size and lighten the color of the keloid.

Silicone Gels: These silicone-based treatments help smooth and reduce the size and color of scars.

Surgery: Surgery is often combined with other treatments such as corticosteroid injections or silicone treatments.

There are also drug options in the treatment of keloids.