How Are Keloids Treated?

Discussion Wound healing is a complex process and abnormalities are common. Hypertrophic or keloid scarring are the two types of excessive scarring with both having excessive scar tissue that is elevated above the normal skin. Hypertrophic scarring occurs usually only within the wound and can regress. They are common after burns and develop within 3 months of skin injury. Keloid scarring spreads beyond the original wound and does not regress, and often recur. They can occur even 1 year after injury. Keloids have an incidence of 5-15%. “Compared to normal fibroblasts, keloidal fibroblasts have longer lives, higher proliferative activity and decreased apoptosis rates, resulting in excess product of cytokines and collagen.” Various growth factors and inflammatory proteins are responsible for the excessive growth. They can be seen in all ages but are more common in second and third decades, and are more common in darker-skin pigmented individuals. They are also associated with some genetic conditions such as Ehler-Danlos type III and Noonan syndrome. Keloids can occur anywhere except mucous membranes and are more likely on the ear lobes, upper back, and sternum. They can be flesh-colored, hyperpigmented, or erythematous. In addition to mechanical problems due to their location or size, they often cause pain, tenderness, burning or pruritis. Learning Point Treatment of keloids can be difficult because of their predilection to recur. Keloids can be prevented by avoiding...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news