What Is Keloid Scars?

Keloid scars and hypertrophic scars
Some scars grow lumpy and larger than the wound they are healing. This is called keloid scarring. It can happen to anybody, but is more common in people with dark skin, such as people from African, African-Caribbean and south Indian communities.

The body's tissue naturally heals itself when it is damaged. This healing process can cause scars to appear. 
If the skin is broken (for example, by a cut, bite, scratch, burn, acne or piercing), the body produces more of a protein called collagen. 

What are keloid scars?

Hypertrophic scars

Hypertrophic scars are another type of raised scar that can also restrict movement.
Unlike keloid scars, they are within the size of the original wound.
Hypertrophic scars can last for several years.

Collagen gathers around the damage and builds up to help the wound seal over. The resulting scar usually fades over time, becoming smoother and less noticeable.
However, some scars don't stop growing. They "invade" the surrounding healthy skin and become bigger than the original wound. These are known as keloid scars.
Some scars become red and raised within the size of the original wound. These are called hypertrophic scars. Find out more about hypertrophic scars.
"A keloid scar is an overgrown scar that can spread outside the original area of skin damage," says Hermione Lawson of the British Skin Foundation. "Keloid scars are shiny and hairless, they're raised above the surrounding skin, and can feel hard and rubbery."
Keloids affect around 10-15% of all wounds. They can appear anywhere on the body, but usually form on the shoulders, head and neck.
They can last for years and sometimes don't form until months or years after the initial injury. New keloid scars are sometimes red or purple. They're not usually painful, but some people feel embarrassed or upset if they think the scar is disfiguring them.
Experts don't fully understand why keloid scarring happens, but these scars are not contagious (they're not catching) and there is no risk of them turning into cancer.

Who gets keloid scars?

Keloid scars can affect anyone, but some people are more likely than others to get them. "People with dark skin get keloids much more easily than people with fairer skin, and it's common in people with black skin," says Lawson. It's thought that keloid scarring may run in families.
Keloid scars can develop after even a very minor injury. "Burns, acne scars and wounds that get infected are particularly likely to form keloids," says Lawson.
"You're at higher risk of getting a keloid scar if you have had one before."

Can I reduce the risk?

You can't stop a keloid happening, but you can avoid any deliberate cuts or breaks in the skin, such as tattoos or piercings, including on the ear lobes.

What is the treatment for keloid scars?

There are several treatments available, but none have been shown to be more effective than others. Treatment can be difficult and isn't always successful. Treatments that may help flatten a keloid include:

• steroid injections
• applying steroid-impregnated tape to the area for 12 hours a day
• applying silicone gel sheeting to the area for several months, although a review of studies found that it is unclear whether this works or not to prevent or treat keloid scars

Other options are:

• freezing early keloids with liquid nitrogen to stop them from growing
• laser treatment to lessen redness (this won't make the scar any smaller)
• surgery to remove the keloid (however, the keloid can grow back and may be larger than before)

If you're bothered by a keloid scar and want help, see your GP
http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/skin/Pages/Keloidscarring.aspx

Keloids

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, and are most commonly found on the upper chest and shoulders. However, keloids can affect any part of the body. (NZDSI)
Although keloids are not harmful to your health, they may present cosmetic concerns.

Part 2 of 5: Symptoms

What Symptoms Are Associated with Keloids?

Keloids occur from the overgrowth of scar tissue; symptoms will occur at a site of previous skin injury.
Symptoms include:

• area that is flesh-colored, pink or red in color
• a lumpy or ridged area of skin
• an area that continues to grow larger with scar tissue over time
• itchy patch of skin

Keloid scars tend to be larger than the original wound itself. They may take weeks or months to fully develop.
While keloid scars may be itchy, they are typically not harmful to your health. You may experience some discomfort or tenderness, or possible irritation from clothing or other forms of friction. In rare instances, a person may experience keloid scarring on a significant amount of their body. When this occurs, the hardened, tight scar tissue may restrict your movements.
Keloids are often more of a cosmetic concern than a health one. You may feel self-conscious if the keloid is very large or in a highly visible location, such as an earlobe or on the face. Sun exposure or tanning may discolor the scar tissue, making it slightly darker than your surrounding skin. This can make the keloid stand out even more than it already does. Keep the scar covered when you are in the sun to prevent discoloration.

Part 3 of 5: Causes

What Causes the Condition?

Most skin injury types can contribute to keloid scarring. This includes:

• acne scars
• burns
• chickenpox scars
• ear piercing
• scratches
• surgical cuts
• vaccination sites

According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, keloid scarring is common in people between the ages of 10 and 20, and also among African Americans, Asians, and Hispanics. Keloids tend to have a genetic component, which means you are more likely to have keloids if one or both of your parents has them. (NCBI)

Part 4 of 5: When to Call Your Doctor

When to Seek Medical Attention

Keloids typically do not require medical attention, but you may want to contact your doctor if growth continues, you develop additional symptoms, or you want to have the keloids surgically removed.
While keloids are benign, uncontrolled growth may be a sign of skin cancer. After diagnosing keloid scarring with a visual examination, your doctor may want to perform a biopsy to rule out other conditions. This involves taking a small sample of tissue from the scarred area and analyzing it for cancerous cells.

Part 5 of 5: Treatment

How Is the Condition Treated?

The decision to treat a keloid can be a tricky one—keloid scarring is the result of the body’s attempt to repair itself. Removing the keloid may mean that scar tissue only grows back again, sometimes 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
• surgery to remove the keloid

These treatments can reduce or eliminate keloid scarring. However, keloids tend to shrink and become flatter over time even without treatment.

http://www.healthline.com/health/keloids#ReadThisNext6

A keloid (/ˈkiːlɔɪd/; also keloidal scar)[1] is the formation of a type of scar[citation needed] which, depending on its maturity, is composed mainly of either type III (early) or type I (late) collagen. It is a result of an overgrowth of granulation tissue (collagen type 3) at the site of a healed skin injury which is then slowly replaced by collagen type 1. Keloids are firm, rubbery lesions or shiny, fibrous nodules, and can vary from pink to the colour of the patient's flesh or red to dark brown in colour. A keloid scar is benign and not contagious, but sometimes accompanied by severe itchiness, pain,[2] and changes in texture. In severe cases, it can affect movement of skin. Keloid scars are seen 15 times more frequently in highly pigmented ethnic groups than in Caucasians.
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keloid

Keloids should not be confused with hypertrophic scars, which are raised scars that do not grow beyond the boundaries of the original wound.