Keloid, A Simple Guide to The Condition, Treatment And Related Conditions

This book describes the Keloid and its Treatment and Related Diseases such as Scar and Wound Healing in the Human Body

Keloid you are the scar tissue overgrown
You develop into an irregular swelling overblown
Unlike a scar you grow outside the wound location
Your tissues can be quite hard on palpation

You occur in men and women equally
Some causes are piercing of earlobes and body
Others are from cuts and abrasions
And also incision scars from operations

You can also develop from burns from fire or chemicals
From vaccinations and skin damage from cosmeticals
There may be bleeding and diabetes infections
Of the skin as part of the complications

Treatment is by injection of steroid into the lesions
Excision followed by injection of steroid or radiation
Cryosurgery or freezing is another way of treatment
Laser pulse treatment can also result in keloid reduction

-An original poem by Kenneth Kee

Keloid is an overgrowth of fibroblastic tissue that occurs in an area of injured skin.

Sometimes it may occur spontaneously.

A keloid is the growth of extra scar tissue where the skin has healed after an injury.

Keloids can be considered to be scars that do not know when to stop.

Keloids typically appear following surgery or injury but they can also appear spontaneously or as a result of some slight inflammation such as an acne pimple on the chest (even one that was not scratched or otherwise irritated).

Other minor injuries that can trigger keloids are burns and piercings.

Cause:

A Keloid is a dense fibrous tissue that forms scars as a result:

1. Skin injury -cuts and lacerations, even superficial abrasions

2. Burns - from injury to the skin

3. Chemical damage to the skin - cosmetics, sulphuric acid burns,

4. Infections of the skin -acne, abscess, ulcers

5. Surgery - incision scars after operations

6. Post vaccination scarring such as keloids over BCG vaccination

Symptoms of keloids:

1. Raised red fleshy looking irregular swelling of the skin located at site of injury

2. Smooth and shiny surface

3. Usually painless, mainly itchy

4. May grow bigger

5. Multiple swellings may also be present.

6. Irritated from friction such as rubbing on clothing

7. A keloid will tan darker than the skin around it if exposed to sun during the first year after it forms.

The darker color may not go away

Signs:

1. Swelling is red, fleshy looking with blood vessels present

2. Irregular appearance with shiny smooth surface

3. May occur anywhere on the body

4. Swelling quite hard on palpation

Diagnosis

1. Characteristic appearance at site of injury or surgery

2. Microscopic examination shows the presence of fibroblastic cells with blood vessels and nerve endings.

Treatment

The only treatment is removal of the keloid.

This can be done by:

1. Injection of corticosteroids into the base of keloids

2. Excision followed by corticosteroid injections.

3. Cryosurgery (freezing with liquid nitrogen)

4. Taping of keloid with pressure adhesive tape to prevent growth and flattening of keloids.

Some keloids may resolve spontaneously.

TABLE OF CONTENT
Introduction
Chapter 1 The Keloid
Chapter 2 Interesting Facts about Keloids
Chapter 3 Treatment of Keloids
Chapter 4 Scars and Scar Healing
Chapter 5 Wounds and Wound Healing
Epilogue