After an acne lesion heals, it can leave a scar behind. The American Academy of Dermatology indicates that most people with acne scarring notice depressions or pits in their skin, which can become worse over time. However, sometimes acne can leave behind a raised scar called a keloid.
About Keloids
Any time your skin cells and connective tissue are damaged, scarring can result. As cells replicate and make an attempt at repair, tough fibers are formed to hold the wounded skin together, the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology explains. Keloids form when connective tissue cells continue to replicate, even though the wound has healed. They mound up above the skin's surface, resulting in raised scar tissue that is redder and shinier than the rest of your skin. Keloids may have a gristle-like, banded appearance. The AAD indicates that keloid acne scars can form on any part of the body but are typically found on the earlobes, chest, back and shoulders.
Who Gets Them?
According to the AOCD, keloid scars are uncommon, affecting only around 10 percent of people. Although men and women are equally at risk for developing keloids, they tend to affect people with dark skin tones more frequently. The AOCD indicates that removing keloids is extremely difficult with medical treatment as they tend to reform--especially in people with a family history of keloids.
Injection Treatment
To reduce the size and thickness of keloids, one medical treatment available is intralesional injections, in which a corticosteroid or interferon is injected into the scar. The AAD indicates that keloid acne scars are usually treated through a series of injections. But if there's no change noted after the fourth injection, surgical removal may be advised.
Keloid Surgery & Other Treatments
Because keloid acne scars have a propensity to reform, the AAD indicates that surgical removal is often accompanied by accompanying treatments, such as the application of pressure pads, corticosteroid or interferon injections or radiation therapy. Although laser treatment is also mentioned as a way to treat keloids, the AOCD notes that this won't always flatten out a keloid acne scar entirely.
Drugstore Keloid Treatment
One over-the-counter treatment for acne keloid scars that doesn't require a doctor's prescription is silicone, which is available in gel or cream form, or as an adhesive strip. The AAD indicates that many people with raised acne scars prefer using silicone products over more invasive medical procedures. However, silicone products must be used regularly for them to have an effect. The AAD indicates that these products may slightly flatten out the scars, but keloids won't disappear completely.
