2009-11-07 21:42:32 -

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Keloids produce areas where scar tissue becomes overgrown. They are most common on the breastbone, upper back and shoulder. They occur most often in an area of injury, such as after a burn or from severe acne, but sometimes arise from a very minor scratch. Black people are more commonly affected by this disorder than white people.

Causes of Keloids


Keloids are

the result of a defective healing process. An excess of collagen forms at the site of a healing scar.

Signs and Symptoms of Keloids

After the skin is injured, the healing process usually leaves a flat scar. Sometimes the scar is hypertrophic, or thickened, but confined to the margin of the wound. Hypertrophic scars tend to be redder and may subside by themselves (a process which can take one year or more). Treatment such as injections of cortisone (steroids) can speed this process.

Keloids, by contrast, may start some time after the injury and extend beyond the wound site. This tendency to migrate into surrounding areas that weren't injured to begin with distinguishes keloids from hypertrophic scars. Keloids typically appear following surgery or injury, but they can also appear spontaneously or as a result of some slight inflammation, such as an acne pimple on the chest (even one that wasn't scratched or otherwise irritated). Other minor injuries that can trigger keloids are burns and piercings.
Keloids produce firm, raised, hard scars that are slightly pink. Scars may itch, cause pain or may be tender to the touch. The scars may continue to enlarge and develop claw-like projections over a period of time.

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