Keloid scars form when your skin cells and connective tissues, called fibroblasts, over-multiply while repairing damaged skin. The result is a growth of swollen tissue that protrudes from the normal skin. The UK National Health Service website records that a tendency to keloid scar formation is often hereditary and most commonly appears in people with African or South Indian origin between the ages of 10 and 30. You can try a number of treatments, including topical, to help with the condition.
Identification
According to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology website, keloids are not as common as hypertrophic scars, which appear similar and are often mistaken for keloids. Hypertrophics can appear in all skin types and in people of all ages. They also don't grow as large and will often disappear with minor treatments and even on their own over time.
Removal Problems
Doctors are sometimes reluctant to surgically remove a keloid scar, especially if it is believed to be a hereditary case, due to the fact that regrowth is very common. They can attempt to preempt the keloid regrowth by exposing the scar site to orthovoltage or electron beam x-rays. Another method used to prevent keloid reappearance involves alpha-interferon or cortisone hormone injections into the scar site.
Topical Treatment
Cryotherapy is used as a topical treatment to reduce keloid formation. With a spray or cotton probe, liquid nitrogen is applied for only a few seconds, freezing the scar, breaking down the connective tissue and eventually destroying it. This treatment is often combined with monthly cortisone injections, notes AOCD, for optimal results.
Topical Prevention
To stop a keloid from forming, you can apply steroid-impregnated tape or a silicone gel pad to the wound for 12 hours a day. Begin the treatment about a month after the injury, allowing the initial wound to heal over. The NHS website concedes that the success of these preventative measures is largely unproven.
Considerations
Keloids can take months or years to appear. If you are prone, a keloid can form from an injury as slight as a pimple or a jewelry piercing. Topical treatments can take months to dissolve the keloid completely compared to surgical removal, which is instant, but carries the danger of regrowth. If you have a worrisome scar that you believe could be a forming a keloid, consult your doctor for diagnosis and treatment advice.
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