Treating Keloids (Scars) in Ethnic Skin
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Keloids are a type of scar where the healed skin appears overly tough, thickened and irregularly shaped. Keloids may be painful or tender to touch. It is uncertain why they develop but trauma to the skin, even a minor trauma such as a bug bite, seems to be the main cause.
Medicinenet described keloids as "scars that don't know when to stop."
This abnormal healing occurs more frequently in those with brown skin such as African Americans, Latinos and Asians and in those with a family history or genetic susceptibility to them.
Keloids develop more often in those between the ages of 10-30 years old. They can occur in any person but have been found to develop between 4.5 to 16 percent in populations that are predominately Black and Hispanic.
Keloids can occur anywhere on the body but are more common on earlobes, the chest, back and arms. Sometimes a keloid can be painful, itch or become tender. This is thought to be due to abnormalities in the functioning of nerve fibers in the skin of the scar. Unfortunately, keloids may develop months or even years after the original injury to the skin.
Treatments:
- Steroid (cortisone) injections: Steroids work by decreasing the excess collagen production that make the skin overly thicken and form the keloid. These injections are mildly to moderately painful and may need to be repeated monthly for six to eight treatments. Topical steroids often cannot penetrate the keloid so are used less often.
According to Dr. Susan Taylor from brownskin.net, “one study found that 88 percent of keloids injected with triamcinalone actoneide (cortisone) decreased in size ... and itching disappeared within three to five days of injection.”
- Silicon sheets have been used with variable success in treating keloids. They must be worn for weeks to months and some doctors have found using other compression dressings to be as successful.
- Surgery to remove keloids can problematic since the rate of reoccurrence has been found to be very high -- between 45 and 100 percent.
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Add a Comment1 Comments
Kelo-cote is a 100% silicone gel for scars, which dries clear and forms a waterproof layer over the scar site. It has more clinical evidence than any other scar treatment product, with over 2,000 patients in published clinical studies. Kelo-cote may be a great non-invasive option to try, for those with keloid scarring.
February 21, 2012 - 8:46amThis Comment