When you get a cut, a piercing, or even a bug bite, a scar can be a sign that our body is healing. But, for more than 150 million people around the world, what starts as a scar can grow into a skin condition known as keloid disease.
By medical definition, keloids are overgrowth of scar tissue. However, they are more than just a frustrating cosmetic issue. In some cases, they can impact a person’s quality of life, causing physical pain and an emotional toll.
Because of this, it’s important to raise awareness about this skin condition, who it impacts, treatment options, and how to prevent it from happening.
What is keloid disease?
Keloid disease, which may also be referred to as a keloid scar or just keloids, results in a thick, raised scar at the site of an injury. After the skin is injured, the body produces collagen to repair the area.
However, with keloids, the body produces too much collagen. This leads to a raised scar, which can often seem like it has a mind of its own as it grows beyond what’s necessary to heal the injury. In some cases, the keloid may expand to be larger than the original scar – called a giant keloid.
Keloids can be painful or itchy. Depending on where they grow (like if they are close to a joint), keloids can limit range of movement or make it painful to move.
Because of their appearance on the skin, keloids may cause cosmetic concerns and impact a patient’s self-confidence. Keloids are most likely to appear on the chest, upper back, shoulders, and even earlobes. These highly visual areas can make it mentally challenging for patients to manage keloids, given the impact that they have to their appearance. Advancements in treatments have provided more options for patients to remove keloids to eliminate the physical and mental discomfort.
How do you get a keloid?
Keloids typically occur at the site of an injury to the skin. This could be from a cut or a scrape, but it may also occur from an incision. In some cases, keloids may grow from minor skin injuries, including after a bug bite, tattoo, piercing, or even a small scratch. Sometimes, there may not be an obvious reason for why keloids grow.
Genetics contribute to whether someone will develop keloid disease. If someone in your family has experienced keloids, there is a higher chance that you will also have a keloid in your lifetime.
Keloids are also significantly more common in people with darker skin tones. While doctors know genetics play a role, the medical community is still studying to know exactly why this happens.
How is keloid disease treated?
There are many options available to treat keloids today. Many of these have varying rates of effectiveness. And, in many cases, recurrence rates can be extremely high – which can be frustrating for those with keloids.
Superficial radiotherapy (SRT) technology can be leveraged to treat keloids. SRT technology works by delivering precise, targeted radiation. The radiation damages the DNA of the abnormal cells, without impacting healthy skin cells. With SRT technology, patients will undergo a series of short treatments. SRT technology does not require surgery or anesthesia, and can be done right in the dermatology office.
Often, patients will opt for a dual approach – surgical removal of the keloid and SRT therapy to complete the treatment. Data shows that when combined with surgical removal, SRT therapy can result in a 90%+ cure rate.
What can you do to prevent keloid disease?
While keloid disease tends to be highly genetic, there are some steps that high-risk patients can take to minimize the chances of getting a keloid.
While you can’t prevent every cut, bug bite, or scrape, it’s important to avoid injury to the skin as much as possible. If you are prone to keloids, you may want to skip body piercings or tattoos altogether. However, if you do decide to get a piercing, there may be options like pressure earrings to prevent the possibility of a keloid from forming.
Surgical cuts and scars can also trigger keloid growth. If you do need to undergo surgery, it’s important to talk to your doctor. The surgery team can use different techniques to reduce your risk of developing keloids. If it’s an elective surgery, there may be other treatment options to consider.
Since keloids are most likely to appear at the site of a scar or injury to the skin, it’s important to practice good wound care – even for minor cuts and scrapes. If you do get an injury, make sure that you keep the wound clean and moist. Proactive treatment while the injury is healing should be ongoing for at least six months for adults; and up to 18 months for children. This may include continuing to moisten the skin where the injury occurred even after it appears to be healed.
What do you do if you think you have a keloid?
If you think you have a keloid, schedule an appointment with your dermatologist to determine what may be the best course of treatment.
Medical dermatology has evolved significantly. Today, patients have access to more advanced treatments that go beyond the options of the past, many of which were less effective than today’s options. Working with your doctor, you’ll be able to find a solution that will remove the keloid and keep it from growing back.
Keloid disease can be a challenging condition that can impact more than the skin. With SRT technology and other treatments, there are more options for today’s patients to treat keloids – removing them for good.
Building awareness for keloids goes beyond understanding the disease and prevention. It includes providing awareness about treatment options, so patients are able to choose the best path for removing keloids.
Read patient stories to see how SRT technology from Sensus Healthcare helps treat keloids.
