Keloids are a commonly seen in many people. They are not harmful but may have cosmetic concerns. This article answers the questions, what is a keloid scar and how to get rid of it.
What Is A Keloid Scar?
Although not a major concern, it arouses curiosity amongst people raising to the most frequently asked question, what is a keloid scar? Let us understand this in detail. Keloid is an excessively grown scar tissue which takes a shape of a smooth hard growth. They are larger than the original wound and mostly found grown on the chest, shoulders, cheeks, and earlobes. If keloid occurs near a joint such as knee joint or the ankle joint, it can cause discomfort, tightness and even limited range of motion. Due to their large size, they can cause itching and irritation due to skin stretching.
It is important to understand the causes of keloid. A keloid appears due to an exaggerated response of the skin to an injury. When there is an injury, the collagen-making cells are sent to heal the wound. These cells close the injury and leave a small scar. In keloid, the skin cells keep on multiplying even after the wound has healed, which leads to the formation of a raised scar. Even a minor cut or a wound can lead to a keloid.
Some More Common Causes Of A Keloid Scar Include.
- An incision from a surgery
- Cuts while shaving
- Acne or any other skin condition
- Tattoos or piercings
Sometimes keloids appear without any skin condition or years after an injury had occurred. Keloid scar also has a genetic component as a risk factor, which means you are more likely to get keloid scar if anyone from your family has it.
How To Get Rid Of A Keloid Scar?
Treatment of keloid scar can be a bit tedious, as they are formed during a healing process of the skin. Most of the time keloid scar recurs and even larger than before. However there are various treatments for keloid scar.
Here are some of the most effective ways to get rid of a keloid scar.
- Silicone Sheets. It is the most widely used treatment for scar tissues and is one of the popular ways to get rid of keloid scars. It is proven that raised scars shrink after using silicone sheets. It is easy to use and has a very low risk of adverse effects.
- Corticosteroid Injection. These are used to reduce inflammation, size, and appearance of keloids. These are effectively used by doctors to get rid of keloid scars.
- Cryotherapy. It is a process of temporary freezing the tissue to kill the skin cells, a common treatment modality to get rid of keloid scars.
- Radiation Treatment. The procedure involves giving radiation immediately after surgically cutting off the keloid. It is a very effective method.
- Creams. Certain creams may help reduce the chances of recurrence of keloid scars after their removal.
- Vitamin A Creams. These are commonly used acne creams. They also help in reducing the size and appearance of a keloid.
As the keloids scars are difficult to treat, steps should be taken to prevent it, if you fall in the risk zone. Those prone to getting keloids should avoid getting tattoos or pierces. They should also inform their doctor if going ahead with any kind of surgery.
Keloids are the benign growths, but if there are any such uncontrolled growths that might require a test to rule out the possibility of cancer. In such cases, the doctor might take a sample of the tissue and test it for cancer cells. Keloids do not require any medical attention but if the growth is continuing, or you are experiencing some additional symptoms or you want to get it removed surgically, contact a surgeon.
Now that you are aware of what a keloid scar is and the ways to get rid of it, you can surely work towards it or seek medical opinion, if appropriate.