scarfix

Keloids: Defined

Keloids, or keloidal scars, are those that are composed first of type III collagen and later replaced by type I collagen. That is, they occur because of an overgrowth of collagen III, also known as granulation tissue, that is slowly replaced with a different type of tissue, type 1 collagen.

Keloid scars are firm and rubbery lesions or shiny nodules that rise abruptly above the normal skin level. This scar type is known to keep growing, be accompanied by different degrees of itchiness, and won't disappear over time. These raised scars range in color from pink to flesh colored to red to dark brown.

Keloids develop most often after injury, surgery, burns and piercings, appearing on the chest, back, shoulders and earlobes. They rarely develop on the face although with the exception of along the jawline.

Keloid vs. Hypertrophic Scars

When the skin is injured, the body produces a fibrous mix of collagen that quickly closes the wound. This normal healing process leaves a flat scar.

Hypertrophic scars are characterized by thickened scar tissue that remains confined to the original boundaries of the wound. The are usually more red in color than keloids and can also fade away with time, though they will enure at least a year if not more.

Keloid scars are also made of thickened scar tissue. However, these scars can continue to expand and will grow beyond the shape of the original injury. They also can spontaneously increase in size, growing even after much time has already passed from that of the original injury.

Causes of Keloids

Doctors don't know exactly why keloids form. Their current hypothesis is that some sort of error in cellular signaling causes extra proliferation of collagen, leading to the formation of keloids.

Keloid Treatment

Since keloids can spontaneously grow or become worse with anything causing inflammation, keloid scar removal should be avoided if possible.

* Cortisone injections do not cause re-growth and are also on the painless side. These intralesional steroids are administered about once a month until best results have been maximized. Minimal steroid enters the bloodstream, making this treatment a safe and successful route for flattening keloids. A negative side effect of cortisone injections is the stimulation of blood vessels found superficially in the skin, resulting in a reddening effect.

* Surgery is risky as it often triggers the formation or re-growth of a similar or larger keloid. For this reason, most surgeons combine surgery with other keloid treatments.

* The pulsed-dye laser has been successful in flattening keloids and also at reducing redness. For this reason, they are also used with cortisone injections (as these injections causes redness). Just like cortisone injections, this type of treatment is fairly safe and painless and several sessions might be required. These treatment sessions can become quite costly as insurance plans don't typically cover laser treatment.

* Compression dressings are applied to the keloid for several hours a day for weeks or even months. Using compression dressings can be a big hassle, especially since results are variable. Silicone gel sheets are the most common compression dressing.

* Cryotherapy is a method similar to surgery that removes keloids by freezing them with liquid nitrogen. This is risky like surgery in causing keloid re-growth and also commonly darkens the skin tissue.

* Acne scars creams are used in prevention and treatment of keloids as the inflammation associated with pimples can bring about keloids, especially on the chest and jawline. Many of these creams dissolve away excess collagen to smooth out the keloid tissue. Others will help the body regulate the wound healing process and moderate collagen production. These are also beneficial in that they often provide relief for itchiness.

source: ezinearticles.com