When you sustain a tissue injury, your body's connective tissue cells, called fibroblasts, multiply and fill in the wound to seal it, according to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology. Keloids, which project above your skin's surface, form when fibroblasts continue multiplying after they finish filling a wound. Keloid scars can be unsightly and may be difficult to tame if they aren't treated.
Symptoms
Keloids are smooth, shiny, firm nodules that can appear by themselves or in groups, according to SkinSight.com. They vary in color from skin-colored to red or brown, and they may have ridges that are either regular or irregular. Keloids may become tender, painful and increasingly itchy as they grow, and they can become quite large. They frequently develop on the chest, legs, arms, neck and earlobes.
Causes
Keloids most commonly occur after skin injuries. Acne, chickenpox, scratches, vaccination sites, surgical cuts, traumatic wounds and burns can all lead to keloids, according to MedlinePlus. In rare cases, keloid scars may seem to form spontaneously. However, it may not actually be a spontaneous event; you may also develop a keloid after an insignificant inflammatory reaction or an injury that was too trivial for you to remember, according to the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
Risk Factors
Keloids can affect anyone, but most people begin developing them when they are in their 20s, according to SkinSight.com. Keloids are most frequently form in black people, in people of Mediterranean ancestry and in women. You may also be more likely to develop keloids if they run in your family.
Prevention
You may be able to prevent a keloid from forming after surgery if you apply a silicone gel pad, paper tape or pressure dressing over the site of your injury, according to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology. Once a keloid forms, you can help prevent it from becoming discolored by keeping it covered with an adhesive bandage or a patch for at least six months after your injury, and by applying sunscreen when you go outdoors. If you have undergone surgery, your doctor may recommend using Imiquimod cream to prevent keloids from developing afterward.
Treatment
Talk with your doctor if you have a keloid that you want removed or reduced, or if you begin to develop new symptoms. There isn't one foolproof method for treating keloids, but he may inject the keloid with a steroid once a month for several months. Alternately, he may use cryosurgery, laser, x-rays or excision to help remove it.
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