Keloid Scars – Health Information Library (2024)

FAQs

Keloid Scars – Health Information Library? ›

A keloid (say "KEE-loyd") is a scar that grows bigger and wider than the original injury. Keloids most commonly grow on the breastbone, shoulder, upper chest and back, earlobes, and face. Keloids do not become cancer. But they can be bothersome or painful enough that you seek treatment.

Treatment of a keloid is considered medically necessary when there is documented evidence of significant functional impairment related to the keloid and the treatment can be reasonably expected to improve the functional impairment.

Your health insurance may cover some keloid treatments, but not others. Your treatment also may not be covered if the insurance company thinks it's being done only to improve how the scar looks (cosmetic reasons).

The frequency of keloid occurrence in persons with highly pigmented skin is 15 times higher than in persons with less pigmented skin. The average age at onset is 10-30 years. In the Olopoenia study, persons with keloids had a mean age of 34.2 years.

When to see a doctor. Early treatment can help minimize growth of a keloid. Talk with a doctor soon after you notice a keloid. If you want to treat one that you've had for a while, talk with a doctor who specializes in skin conditions (dermatologist).

Keloids rarely go away on their own, but they don't generally need to be treated unless they're causing discomfort or are affecting how you feel about your appearance. If they're surgically removed, they often grow back.

In some instances, a surgeon may recommend removing a large hypertrophic scar or keloid. Keloids that far exceed the margins of the original wound, for example, require removal to allow surgeons to reconstruct the surrounding skin and tissue and restore as much of the underlying structure as possible.

Surgical removal is a common method for keloid treatment but may have higher costs due to surgical fees and aftercare. Less invasive treatments like steroid injections or radiotherapy can be more affordable but might require multiple sessions.

There are no proven methods of removing keloid scars naturally. Some clinical studies have shown that onion extract used orally or on the skin might possibly be effective in improving the appearance of keloid scars and reducing itchiness and discomfort.

Dermatologists may inject a corticosteroid solution directly into a hypertrophic scar or keloid, which may help reduce its size. Steroids break the bonds between collagen fibers, which reduces the amount of scar tissue beneath the skin.

Who is prone to keloid scarring? ›

Although anyone can get them, keloids are more common among darker-skinned people. Keloids can be painful or itchy but aren't usually dangerous to a person's health. However, depending on where they are located, they can be a cosmetic concern.

Padma Lakshmi

The snaking keloids along the Top Chef host's arm are the result of a car crash she was in at the age of 14. In 2016 she told Self, “I'm proud of my scars because they mean that I've had a life, an interesting one…. I'm happy to have a visual reminder every day of how precious life is.”

Initially, the inside of a keloid consists of collagen fibres that are immature and arranged haphazardly. Over time, the collagen structure within the keloid matures from the inside out. The collagen fibres become more organized, aligned, and tightly packed.

Acidic foods (like sour vegetables): Avoid eating acidic foods because these foods can affect the cell regeneration process, causing scars to heal slowly. Sweets (candy, soft drinks...): Sweet foods can also increase the risk of keloid formation.

It can happen if you have too much of a substance called collagen in your skin. It can happen after any sort of injury or damage to your skin such as a cut, burn, surgery, acne or a body piercing. You're more likely to get a keloid scar if you: are of south Asian, Chinese, African Caribbean or Black African origin.

Raffy Karamanoukian is a world-renowned expert in the management of keloids, having treated thousands of patients with his unique scar protocols that make use of technological advancements in lasers, RF radiofrequency, injection therapy, scar modulation, and fractional resurfacing.

Keloids can be painful or itchy but aren't usually dangerous to a person's health. However, depending on where they are located, they can be a cosmetic concern. Fortunately, there are many treatment options to help remove keloids.

To give their patients the best results, dermatologists often recommend more than one type of treatment for a keloid. These scars can be difficult to get rid of, and some return after treatment. Using two or more types of treatment often improves results.

Prevention is key, but therapeutic treatment of an existing hypertrophic scar or keloid includes occlusive dressings, compression therapy, intralesional corticosteroid injections, cryosurgery, excision, radiation therapy, laser therapy, interferon (IFN) therapy, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), doxorubicin, bleomycin, verapamil, ...

There are no proven methods of removing keloid scars naturally. Some clinical studies have shown that onion extract used orally or on the skin might possibly be effective in improving the appearance of keloid scars and reducing itchiness and discomfort.