Keloid Scars and Hypertrophic Scars – Part 1

Individuals who suffer from acne and acne scars often search for ways of removing those scars or making them less noticeable. Fortunately, an incredibly small percentage of them ever have to deal with keloid scars or hypertrophic scar tissue.

Occasionally, scar tissue will enlarge spontaneously and form a firm, smooth growth called a keloid. These can become uncomfortable or itchy and may actually grow to be larger than the original wound. If these scars are in an area of the body where they receive consistent trauma or irritation from clothing or other areas of the body they can actually grow larger.

Interestingly, keloid scars can begin soon after the injury or may develop months later. Doctors and researchers are not sure why keloid scars appear. Most people never form a keloid scar and others will develop them after a minor injury, even insect bites or pimples. Keloids can form on any part of the body but the upper chest and shoulders are especially prone to them.

Researchers do know that dark skinned individuals will form keloid scars more easily than Caucasians. And individuals from Middle Eastern countries will form them more easily than those from Scandinavia or Nordic decent. This is often because the amount of melanin found in the skin of those individuals who have darker complexions is much higher than in those who are lighter skinned. Keloid scars are usually a cosmetic problem and almost never become malignant.

A keloid scar will be raised, red and develops at the site of an injury. After being wounded, connective tissue and skin cells begin to multiply to repair the damage. A scar is made up of connective tissue deposited in the skin to hold the wound together. When an individual develops a keloid scar the fibroblasts continue to multiply even after the wound is filled and projects tissue above the surface of the skin to form large mounds of scar tissue.

While most people never formed these scar tissues it is estimated that they occur in about 10% of people, men and women affected equally. A keloid scar occurs when it is larger or wider than the area of injury. A hypertrophic scar occurs when the changes are limited to the area of injury alone.

References:

(1) American Osteopathic College of Dermatology: Keloids and Hypertrophic Scars

http://www.aocd.org/skin/dermatologic_diseases/keloids_and_hypert.html