KELOID

Overview & Facts

When skin is injured, fibrous tissue, called scar tissue, forms over the wound to repair and protect the injury. In some cases, scar tissue grows excessively, forming smooth, hard growths called keloids.

Keloids can be much larger than the original wound. They’re most commonly found on the chest, shoulders, earlobes, and cheeks.

Types & Symptoms

Keloids occur from the overgrowth of scar tissue. Symptoms occur at a site of previous skin injury.

The symptoms of keloids can include:

  • A localized area that is flesh-colored, pink, or red in color.
  • A lumpy or ridged area of skin that’s usually raised.
  • An area that continues to grow larger with scar tissue over time.
  • An itchy patch of skin.

Diagnosis & Medications

Keloid scarring is the result of the body’s attempt to repair itself, thus it is not generally harmful to the patient’s health. However, removing the keloid may cause the scar tissue to grow back again, and sometimes it grows back larger than before.

Examples of keloid treatments include:

  • Corticosteroid injections to reduce inflammation.
  • Moisturizing oils to keep the tissue soft.
  • Using pressure or silicone gel pads after injury.
  • Freezing the tissue to kill skin cells.
  • Laser treatments to reduce scar tissue.
  • Radiation to shrink keloids.

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