The keloid forms when an overgrowth of granulation tissue (type 3 collagen) is then replaced by type 1 collagen. Keloids grow beyond the boundaries of the original wound, in contrast to hypertrophic scars, which will appear as a raised scar but not grow as large as keloids.
Keloid, also known as keloid disorder and keloidal scar, is the formation of a type of scar which, depending on its maturity, is composed mainly of either type III (early) or type I (late) collagen.
A scar is made up of 'connective tissue', gristle-like fibers deposited in the skin by the fibroblasts to hold the wound closed. With keloids, the fibroblasts continue to multiply even after the wound is filled in. Thus keloids project above the surface of the skin and form large mounds of scar tissue.
The swollen keloid will gradually ooze and leak yellowish and at times blood-tinged fluid. The amount of swelling and oozing depends on the size of the treated keloid; this continues for 5-7 days, at which point the keloid tissue starts to dry out and form a dark or black color scab.
Keloids only grow in the skin and do not spread inside the body (ie, not cancerous). In addition to the unpleasant appearance of keloids, some patients may feel itch, pain, and/or soreness to touch. Keloids can become so irritated that they appear infected with drainage.
Keloids can continue to grow for months or even years. They eventually stop growing but they do not disappear without treatment. In some cases, as mentioned above, keloids can return after they have been removed.
It may be very tempting to squeeze an ear keloid. However, you can't pop an ear keloid. Ear keloids are a type of scar tissue, so there isn't any pus to squeeze out, like a pimple. Trying to pop a keloid on your ear can damage your skin and introduce bacteria, which can cause an infection.
1 – Simply Removing Keloids May Lead to Larger Keloids
Because keloids are actually a type of hyper-replicating scar tissue, surgical removal needs to be performed very precisely in order to avoid creating a bigger problem.
A keloid rarely opens upon its own. Like the rest of your skin, you may see a keloid bleeding if you injure it. An open keloid can become infected.
Conclusion: Keloids never completely disappear to leave skin with normal texture, however they can resolve (flatten and soften) so they no longer burden patients in approximately one third of cases. Scars resolving spontaneously do so early in the disease. Those that don't may resolve after many years of treatment.
Exactly what happens inside the body to cause keloids isn't fully understood. Researchers know that the body produces more collagen than its needs to heal the injured skin. That's why the keloid scar grows bigger than the wound that caused it.
Scar Massage
Research has shown that gently massaging a scar may break down scar tissue as it forms. It may also prevent hypertrophic scars or keloids from developing after an injury.
In a cohort study in Taiwan, patients with keloids were at an increased risk of developing various forms of cancer -- pancreatic cancer and skin cancer in particular -- when compared to the general population, with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.51 (95% CI 1.39-1.63), according to Kathy Chien-Hui Hong, MD, PhD, of ...
Begin as a raised pink, red, or purple scar.
A keloid is usually a raised scar with a flat surface. The color tends to darken with time. It usually ends up being darker than the person's skin, with the border being darker than the center.
You cannot get rid of a keloid on your own and it won't go away like other piercing bumps, even if you remove the jewellery. There are different treatments medical professionals may perform for keloid scarring. Keloids aren't common, a piercing bump is often mistaken as a keloid!
If you find a keloid has become very tender it may be infected. There will usually be some inflammation or the skin will be warm to the touch. If this happens it's a good idea to see a doctor. Some keloid infections can develop into pockets of pus.
However, it's important to not scratch the scar while it's healing. When scar tissue is forming, scratching will only cause abrasion on the skin, forcing even more scar tissue to form to repair itself. This causes keloid scars to grow due to the excess growth of scar tissue.
Surgical removal is one option, but the keloid often regrows with time. Some articles suggest that tea tree oil could help reduce the appearance of scars. However, there is little high quality evidence that this essential oil is effective for reducing the development of scars or reducing existing scars.
The goal is to reduce or prevent a scar by putting pressure on the wound as it heals. Such dressings need to be worn for 12 to 24 hours a day for 4 to 6 months to be effective. This method can be very uncomfortable. Corticosteroid cream.
Cover the silicone gel with a bandage or wrap to keep pressure on the cut or other injury. If you get keloids, you may want to avoid body piercings, tattoos, or any surgery you do not need. Keloid scarring can happen after these procedures.
Hypertrophic scars are contained within the site of injury and may regress over time, while keloids spread beyond the borders of the initial injury and do not regress. On histological examination, hypertrophic scars tend to have collagen in a wavy, regular pattern, whereas keloids have no distinct pattern of collagen.
People of all races get keloids. Findings from studies, however, suggest that Black people have the greatest risk of developing keloids. People of Asian, Latin American, or Mediterranean descent are more likely to develop keloids than people who have a lighter skin tone.
Excision of a keloid may stimulate additional collagen synthesis, prompting quick recurrence as a possible larger keloid than the initial one. For this reason, intramarginal surgical (core) excision of keloid tissue has been recommended to prevent stimulation of additional collagen synthesis.