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. They’re most commonly found on the chest, shoulders, earlobes, and cheeks. However, keloids can affect any part of the body.
Keloid scars tend to be larger than the original wound itself. They may take weeks or months to develop fully.
While keloid scars may be itchy, they’re usually not harmful to your health. You may experience discomfort, tenderness, or possible irritation from your clothing or other forms of friction. In rare instances, you may experience keloid scarring on large areas of your 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 more.
Causes
Most types of skin injury can contribute to keloid scarring. These include:
· acne scars
· burns
· chickenpox scars
· ear piercing
· scratches
· surgical incision sites
· vaccination sites
Keloids typically don’t require medical attention, but you may want to contact your doctor if growth continues, if you develop additional symptoms, or if you want to have the keloid surgically removed.
Keloids are benign, but uncontrolled growth may be a sign of skin cancer. After diagnosing keloid scarring by visual exam, 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.
There are a number of treatments associated with keloid. It includes corticosteroid injection to reduce inflammation, radiation therapy to shrink keloids, surgery, laser treatments for the removal of scar tissue, using silicone gel pads or pressure after an injury, or to freeze the tissue to kill skin cells.
REFERENCES
https://www.healthline.com/health/keloids#when-to-call-your-doctor