Keloid – causes, symptoms and treatment

Proven content

Kelnois is a thickened skin lesion that appears at the site of an old wound. Keloid, which is considered a benign skin cancer, is not dangerous to the patient’s health, but is usually an aesthetic problem. How are keloids formed and what are the reasons for their appearance? How do you know when the wound becomes keloids? How are keloids treated and are there home remedies for these skin changes?

What is keloids?

Keloid is also known by its Latin name keloid. Keloids is a hardened, overgrown and lumpy scar that forms on the skin with or without any specific cause of injury.

Keloids are classified as benign neoplasmsbecause it is a specific form of hard fibroma, from which it is basically only different in shape. Keloid is not only a lofty nodule, but a skin lesion that develops into flat and various shapes.

Keloids can therefore be briefly defined as the result of abnormal wound healing or cuts on the skin. The wound from which keloids can develop does not have to be large or extensive. Any break in the continuity of tissue can lead to the formation of keloids.

How to care for scars on the skin? Read: Scars – what do you need to know about them and how to care for them?

What does keloids look like?

Keloid usually takes on a glaucous-red color and its surface is smooth and shiny. This makes keloids distinct from healthy skin. The size of a single keloid may vary from several millimeters to several dozen centimeters.

Keloids can form on virtually any part of our body, but the most characteristic place is the front surface of the chest, feet, hands, earlobes, shoulders and arms. Keloids also often occur where the skin is directly adjacent to the bones, e.g. around joints. In such cases, their thickness and stiffness, resulting from the presence of a large amount of collagen fibers, may cause difficulties in movement, contractures, and limit the range of movements.

What is collagen and what role does it play in the functioning of our joints? Check: Collagen for the knee and elbow joints – necessary or optional?

Types of keloids

Keloids is a skin lesion that can come in two forms as:

1. spontaneous keloids – is a keloid that develops for no apparent reason. It is not caused by a previous trauma and a healing wound. Some scientists claim that in this case we are dealing with microtraumas invisible to the naked eye. Idiopathic keloids are most often located in the thoracic region;
2. secondary keloids – it is a keloid that was created as a result of burns, mechanical trauma or as a result of acne lesions.

Secondary keloids differ from hypertrophic scars. First of all, keloids show characteristic protrusions in the circumference of the lesion. In addition, keloids are limited only to the site of the injury. Secondary keloids are most often located in the lower and upper limbs, as well as on the auricles. Importantly, no keloids disappear on their own, and additionally exhibits the properties of slow growth.

What are scars and how to lighten them? Check: Every scar is different. How to fight it effectively?

Scar and keloids – what’s the difference?

Almost all of us have a scar on the body, often more than one. Throughout our lives we suffer accidents and injuries, but even the smallest cuts leave a mark in the form of a scar. In places where the connective tissue of the skin is broken, a wound forms, which turns into a scar over time. The time for a wound to heal and for scar formation is not constant and depends on many variables. It is assumed, however, that in a healthy person, already 7 days after an injury, or, for example, after surgery, the wound, the edges of which are close to each other by means of sutures, is tightly closed.

However, there are often cases of pathological wounds that do not heal normally and the scarring time is very prolonged. Chronic diseases, oncological diseases, bacterial infections or reduced immunity contribute to improper wound healing.

Additionally, some people are prone to abnormal wound healing. Then, the newly formed tissue expands.

What are the most common complications in wound healing? Read: Wound complications and their infections

Kelnowiec – causes of formation

Proper wound healing leads to the formation of a scar that covers the wound flat flat. However, in some people, fibroblasts, the cells that make up the scar, multiply too intensively, leading to keloid formation. What types of wounds can cause keloids?

The causes of keloid formation vary. The most important reasons include:

1. a person’s tendency to develop keloids – in many cases keloids arise spontaneously. There are also cases of increased incidence of keloids after injuries. Most often this happens in people with a family history of keloids;
2. mechanical injuries – that is, any cases of rupture of connective tissue;
3. medical history – acne vulgaris, smallpox, inflammation of the hair follicles;
4. postpartum wound – both during the cesarean section and after the perineal incision;
5. thermal injuries – after burns, keloids develop the fastest, especially if the skin changes in the upper part of the body;
6. insect bites – even a mosquito bite may result in the formation of keloids;
7. improper shavingwhich causes wounds on the skin;
8. piercing;
9. pricks characteristic of injection of the vaccine.

What are burns and how to provide first aid? Check: Burns

Kelnowiec – who is at risk of their formation?

Each of us is exposed to injuries, accidents and cuts. Therefore, there are many scars, smaller or larger, on our body. Why do scars turn into keloids in some people? There are several factors that make some people more likely to develop keloids. The most important factors in the formation of keloids are:

1. age of the patient – the risk of keloids decreases with age. In children, the formation of pathological scars is primarily related to the excessive production of collagen;
2. skin color – Keloids are more common in people with darker skin color – which means that the presence of keloids depends on the number of pigment cells (melanocytes) present in the skin;
3. metabolic diseases – they contribute to the hindered wound healing process. Keloids are much more common in people suffering from diabetes;
4. autoimmune diseases – especially in the case of Hashimoto’s disease associated with abnormalities in the concentration and function of hormones;
5. disorders in tissue vascularization – Buerger and Raynaud’s vascular diseases;
6. the level of sex hormones in women – Kelo can develop at any age in a woman, but most often it occurs during puberty and pregnancy, and less often during the menopause.

How is keloids formed?

The process of keloid formation is preceded by wound healing, which can be divided into several phases. In the first phase, which lasts about 48 hours after the injury, a clot forms on the wound, which stops the bleeding. During this time, dress the wound and, if necessary, sew its edges together.

In the next phase, which is called the proliferative stage, collagen fibers are synthesized, which fix the tissues disconnected as a result of trauma. The newly formed blood vessels allow the area of ​​injury to be rebuilt by providing nutrients and oxygen with the blood. Order Fish Collagen in a skin care gel today, which helps to reduce the visibility of scars.

The last stage of wound healing takes the longest, even several months, and consists in rebuilding and adjusting the new tissue structure to the rest of the skin. If a wound heals properly, a scar will form over time and it will change to a light color over time. If, on the other hand, there are disturbances in the proliferative phase, keloids may develop.

These disorders are associated with an excessive amount of collagen and increased activity of fibroblasts. In this case, you can observe overgrowths and accumulation of this protein. The consequence of such disorders is the formation of a connective tissue tumor of various shapes, i.e. keloids.

The cause of hypertrophic and keloid scars is not yet known. In the initial stages of wound healing, all scars look normal and similar. On the other hand, the time of healing disorders from the moment of injury is different. The period of appearance of keloids can vary from 4 months to several years after the injury.

In order to prevent abnormal scarring, you can use the Sikatris Max silicone scar plaster or Sikatris scar patches 5 × 30 cm. We also recommend lubricating the scar with NoScar® cream of mother-of-pearl for scars, which smoothes and brightens the affected skin.

What is scar removal? Check: Scar removal

How to recognize keloids – symptoms

Keloid is best recognized by its appearance – that is, the overgrown skin in the place of the scar and its bluish color. The most characteristic symptoms of keloids include:

1. skin lesions of the nature, appearance and structure of the tumor – keloids are distinguished by an irregular shape, a slightly convex surface clearly protruding above the surrounding skin;
2. the presence of protrusions – they occur around the circumference of the keloid. The protrusions give an image of the spread of the lesion within healthy skin. This is a symptom that distinguishes a hypertrophic scar from a keloid scar;
3. red or bluish color – especially in the first years of keloids, at a later stage the skin lesion takes on a dull white color;
4. skin lesion cohesion – Kelo is harder to the touch than the skin that surrounds it. This is a consequence of the greater number of collagen fibers;
5. no pain – keloids do not cause pain or other unpleasant ailments such as burning or itching. Pain can occur if the keloids are localized in the joints. The patient then experiences contractures and cannot fully straighten the limbs;
6. increasing skin lesion – the size of the keloid increases. Most often it concerns spontaneous keloids;
7. the skin change does not go away on its own neither does it decrease;
8. malignant transformation – occurs in the case of chronic irritation of the lesion, especially the one formed on the basis of burns.

What preparations help in getting rid of scars? Check: Cream for scars

Kelnowiec – visit to the doctor

The diagnosis of keloids does not require a visit to a specialist. A skin lesion with signs of keloids may be found already during a medical interview with a primary care physician. During the visit, the doctor will ask questions about:

1. trauma accompanying the formation of the lesion;
2. previous cases of keloid formation;
3. family experiences and the presence of characteristic changes in someone in the family;
4. recent keloid changes – size, shape, color;
5. other ailments related to the resulting keloids.

Keloid diagnosis it is mainly based on a medical history and a detailed physical examination, viewing the entire body of the patient and palpation of the skin lesion.

What is natural collagen and when is it worth using? Check: Natural collagen known as the “elixir of youth”

Kelnowiec – treatment

Keloid treatment is local in nature. Skin lesions are treated conservatively and surgically.

Conservative treatment of keloids includes:

1. injections with glucocorticoids within the altered tissue – triamcinolone, which is a synthetic derivative of prednisolone, is most often used for injections. The injections are given several times, approximately every 5 weeks until improvement is seen;
2. applying steroid-containing dressings – such dressings are applied for about 24 hours. You should always protect healthy skin around the keloid by applying, for example, zinc paste. Dressings are put on every other day. If the therapy has no visible results, it should be discontinued after 8-10 cycles;
3. applying pressure dressings – it is a pressotherapy procedure that works on the principle of a mechanical blockade and prevents the growth of connective tissue cells;
4. injections of gamma interferon preparations – the mechanism of action is based on limiting the multiplication of fibroblasts and the production of extracellular substance;
5. the use of moisturizing oils and ointments with plant extracts, with allantoin with the addition of heparin or its derivatives and with silicone. You should start using them as soon as the wound heals;
6. laser therapy – the laser beam brightens the keloids and makes them less convex;
7. cryotherapy – that is, freezing the changed tissue with liquid nitrogen;
8. radiotherapy.

Surgical treatment is the least common method of treating keloidswhich consists in cutting out the skin lesion. This improves the appearance of the skin considerably at first, but it also causes keloid recurrence to a great extent. Surgical treatment is not recommended due to the significant risk of even greater keloid hyperplasia.

What is cryotherapy and when is it worth using? Check: Cryotherapy, i.e. cold treatment. It helps in the fight against pain

Home remedies for keloids

Keloid cannot be cured with home remedies, but the systematic and long-term use of certain methods is a significant support for pharmacological therapies. For keloids, for example, lemon juice, which contains vitamin C and antioxidants, can be used. They have a positive effect on the condition of the skin and the color of the keloid. Use lemon juice to lubricate the scar once a day.

Garlic can also be used on keloids to prevent the growth of keloids. A clove of garlic should be ground and left on the changed skin for approx. 15 minutes.

Another home cooking ingredient that can be applied to keloids is coconut oil. This product softens and moisturizes the epidermis. In order for coconut oil to work effectively on keloids, the skin lesion should be massaged with it every day for about 5 minutes.

How to be treated at home? Check: Home treatments

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