Everything You Need to Know About Keloid/Hypertrophic Scars
What are keloids/hypertrophic scars?
When the skin is injured, fibrous tissue called scar tissue forms over the wound to repair and
protect the injury. Sometimes, extra scar tissue grows, which forms smooth, hard growths called
keloids.
Most commonly found on?
● Chest
● Shoulders
● Earlobes
● Cheeks
What are the symptoms?
● A localized area that is flesh-colored, pink, or red.
● 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.
What are the causes?
● Acne scars
● Burns
● Chickenpox scars
● Ear piercing
● Scratches
● Surgical incision sites
● Vaccination sites
Methods of Treatment
Surgical
In the case of very large keloids or an older keloid scar, surgical removal may be recommended.
The rate of return for keloid scarring after surgery can be high. However, the benefits of removing a
large keloid may outweigh the risk of post-surgery scars.
Non-Surgical
1) Laser treatment
For certain types of scars, your doctor may recommend laser treatment. This treatment resurfaces
the keloid and surrounding skin with high beams of light in an effort to create a smoother, more
toned appearance.
However, there’s a risk that laser treatment can make your keloids worse by causing increased
scarring and redness. While these side effects are sometimes better than the original scar, you
may still expect there to be some form of scarring. Laser treatment is used for other types of skin
scarring, all with similar benefits and risks.
2) Intralesional Injection
To suppress inflammation & reduce the blood supply that feeds a scar. It is injected directly into the
scars using a fine needle. The injection is required to be done every 4 to 6 weeks until
improvements are seen.
Long-term outlook
While the chances of experiencing side effects from keloids is low, you may dislike their
appearance. You can have a keloid treated at any time, even years after it appears. So if a scar is
bothering you, have it checked out.