You might have injured yourself recently in a way that seemed minor at the time. However, weeks later, you notice a strange, raised scar that doesn’t seem to fade. There’s a chance it will itch, hurt, or stay noticeable. What’s happening? It may be a keloid scar, which people commonly misunderstand and ignore. Keloid scars aren’t like other scars. They heal faster than most wounds, getting bigger than the original cut and staying there longer than thought. Although they are not usually painful, they could be embarrassing and cause one to have low self esteem. What is a keloid, why does it form and what can be done about it: this article will seek to answer these questions.
Understanding Keloid Scar
One must understand the keloid meaning to get familiar with its causes, symptoms, and treatment options. When the body makes too much collagen while the skin is healing from an injury, a keloid scar, a type of raised scar, develops. Keloids on body continue to grow and can get much bigger than the original cut, whereas most scars fade and smooth out over time. They can appear on many body parts but most often affect the head, chest, back, and shoulders.
Keloids don’t fade or smooth over time like other scars do. They stay high instead, and they might get bigger over time. If you have a keloid, it can make you feel bad about yourself, especially if the keloid scar on face.
Where Do Keloids Form?
Keloids on face and other body areas are widespread. However, some areas are more likely to acquire them due to skin tension or movement. These are the most common places where keloid scars show up.
- Abdomen
- Back
- Chest
- Ear
- Jaw
- Shoulders
Patients with keloids find them uncomfortable whenever they develop on joints or chest making it difficult to move around.
Keloid Scar Symptoms
Some things make keloid scars different from other scars. Here are some of the most common keloid symptoms:
- Raised and larger than the wound
- Itchy skin
- Pain and tenderness
- Discomfort with movement
Keloid scars come in many shapes, sizes, and colours. They can be round, oval, or oblong, and the colour can be anything from pink to purple to darker than the skin around them. When you touch a keloid, it can feel hard or soft, and its surface can be smooth or rough.
Keloid Scar Causes
Overproduction of collagen, a very important protein for skin healing, is why keloid forms. When you get hurt, your body makes collagen to help the skin heal. However, in the case of keloids, too much collagen is made, which makes the scar bigger and raised. To learn how to flatten keloid scars naturally, you must first understand the causes behind it, it may be because of:
- Skin injuries
- Genetic factors
- Skin tone and ethnicity
- Age and hormonal changes
- Genetic conditions
Diagnosing a Keloid Scar
It’s usually easy to tell if someone has a keloid scar. Healthcare professionals can generally tell what’s wrong by looking at the scar. However, you may need to take a skin sample and examine the tissue to rule out other diseases.
Keloid Scar Treatment Options
There is no way to eliminate keloids, but there are several keloid treatment choices to make them look better and stop them from getting worse. Some of these methods are.
- Corticosteroid injections or creams
- Laser skin resurfacing
- Cryotherapy
- Pressure garments
- Surgical removal
- Radiation therapy
Silicone gel sheets or wound dressing are common treatments to smooth keloid scars. These therapies, especially corticosteroid injections or pressure bands, can help you understand how to stop a keloid from growing.
Takeaway
It can be annoying and hard to deal with keloid scars, but with the right treatment, you can minimise the effects and maintain your skin health. Consult a healthcare professional who can advise you on the best course of action if you’re worried about keloid scar removal or need advice on how to prevent a keloid from enlarging. Though little is understood about what may cause keloid scars, early treatments as well as a range of things can be done to prevent them from being detrimental to your skin.
References:
https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1298013-overview?form=fpf
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/keloid-scar/symptoms-causes/syc-20520901
