Keloid is a type of scar. It is simply an over reaction of skin tissue during process of healing. Keloid occurs due to overgrowth of tissue at the site of a skin injury which has healed. Consistency of keloid is firm, rubbery and fibrous nodule, which may be shiny. The color of keloid generally varies from pink to flesh-colored or red to dark brown. Keloids scars are non-contagious, which may be accompanied by severe itchiness, sharp pains etc. In severe cases, it can affect movement of skin also.
It is very important not to confuse keloids with hypertrophy of healed scar. Hypertrophy scars are raised scars that do not grow beyond the boundaries of the original wound and this point distinguishes it from keloids.
Keloids can develop in any place where there is an abrasion. Keloids can be the result of pimples, insect bites, scratch, burns, or any other skin trauma that can cause abrasion. Keloid scars can also develop after surgery.
Treatment of keloid:
The most effective (although not successful in treating every keloids) is surgical removal of keloid. But the biggest drawback of surgical treatment of keloid is the chance of the surgical scar becoming keloid itself. The chance of surgical scar becoming keloid is more than 50%.
There are many other forms of treatment of keloids, which includes steroids, injections, covering of keloid with silicon gel, cryosurgery, radiation therapy, laser therapy, skin lightening products etc. are also used for treatment of keloid. Out of all the above laser treatment is emerging as a good alternative to surgery and latest approach is to combine laser therapy with steroid injections.
Treatment of keloid with drugs which are used for treatment of autoimmune diseases and cancers are being used these days. Drugs used are alpha-interferon, 5-fluorouracil, bleomycin etc. But the most important point to remember in treatment of keloid is that no treatment is successful (100%) in all cases of keloid.