Keloids

What Is It?

Keloids are raised overgrowths of scar tissue that occur at the site of a skin injury. They occur where trauma, surgery, blisters, vaccinations, acne and body piercing have injured the skin. Keloids sometimes occur in places where the skin has not been injured. Keloids differ from normal mature scars in composition and size. Some people are prone to keloid formation and may develop them in several places.

Keloids are more common in African-Americans. They are seen most commonly on the shoulders, upper back and chest, but they can occur anywhere. When a keloid is associated with a skin incision or injury, the keloid scar tissue continues to grow for a time after the original wound has closed, becoming progressively larger and more visible. They generally occur between 10 and 30 years of age and affect both sexes equally, although they may be more common among young women with pierced ears. Keloids may occur over the breastbone in people who have had open heart surgery.

Symptoms

Keloids usually appear in areas of previous trauma but may extend beyond the injured area. They are characteristically shiny, smooth and rounded skin elevations that may be pink, purple or brown. They can be doughy or firm and rubbery to the touch, and they often feel itchy, tender or uncomfortable. They may be unsightly. A large keloid in the skin over a joint may interfere with joint function.

Diagnosis

A doctor diagnoses a keloid on the basis of its appearance and a history of tissue injury, such as surgery, acne or body piercing. In rare cases, the doctor may remove a small piece of the skin to examine under a microscope. This is called a biopsy.

Expected Duration

Keloids may continue to grow slowly for weeks, months or years. They eventually stop growing but do not disappear on their own. Once a keloid develops, it is permanent unless removed or treated successfully. It is common for keloids that have been removed or treated to return.

Prevention

People who are prone to keloids should avoid cosmetic surgery. When surgery is necessary in such people, doctors take special precautions to minimize the formation of keloids at the site of the incision. Examples of techniques that might be used to minimize keloid formation include covering the healing wound with hypoallergenic paper tape for several weeks after surgery, covering the wound with small sheets made of a silicone gel after the surgery, or using corticosteroid injections or radiation treatments at the site of the surgical wound at the beginning of the healing period.