Keloid, or keloid, is a thickened skin that forms at the site of a former wound or other tissue disruption. Usually it is larger than the original damage. Although it does not pose a he alth risk, unfortunately keloids are very resistant to treatment.
Bliznowiecorkeloidcan form when a wound heals inappropriately. It is a benign fibrous growth of the skin that resembles a growth. It usually has a smooth, shiny surface in a dark pink, reddish or brown color.
Characteristic of keloids is that their area is larger than the area of the original skin lesion. Keloids often hurt, itchy, and very large ones can cause a lot of discomfort, even make it difficult to move.
Bliznowiec: wound - healing - scar
When the skin is damaged, a scar is formed. The normal process of wound healing produces fibrous connective tissue. The distant collagen fibers begin to fuse together and the wound gradually closes together.
Then, blood vessels begin to penetrate the tissue that supplies the affected area with oxygen and important nutrients. Soon - it takes from a few months to 2 years - collagen production calms down and scars become less visible. In the case of minor damage, even indistinguishable from the rest of the skin. Sometimes, however, collagen production does not stop. This is whenhypertrophic scarsorkeloidsare formed.
How the keloid is formed
In order for this type of skin lesion to develop, the skin must first be damaged. Usually keloids arise as a result of:
- skin injuries, cuts - also surgical
- burns
- scratches
- in the vaccination site
- after piercing, e.g. on the ears
Keloids can also arise as a result of improper healing of chickenpox or acne pustules, as well as after cesarean - such keloids are said to bekeloids after CC . However, their formation is very often predisposed by genetic tendencies. For example, if someone in the family has struggled or is struggling with keloids, there is a high risk that you may also have this problem.
Who else is particularly at risk? People between 10 and 20years of age and African Americans, Asians and Hispanics.
ImportantAfter the diagnosis of keloids, the doctor sometimes decides to perform a biopsy (the removal of a piece of tissue) in order to rule out other conditions and to make sure that the lesion is not malignant.
Bliznowiec or hypertrophic scar?
It is necessary to distinguish two quite similar changes:keloidand the hypertrophic scar. They look very similar, but the hypertrophic scar forms exactly within the limits of the previous skin damage, while the keloids exceed it.
In addition, a hypertrophic scar develops fairly quickly after an injury, but is poorly vascularized and tends to brighten, shrink or even disappear spontaneously over time.Bliznowiecis highly vascularized, may begin to grow long after an injury and never disappears.
A cosmetic problem
Uncontrolled, excessive keloid growth may indicate that the lesion turns into a neoplastic lesion. Therefore, it is not worth delaying a visit to the doctor - surgeon or dermatologist in such cases.Bliznowiecusually does not pose any he alth risk, nor is it a reason for surgical intervention, but for many people it can be a huge psychological problem, especially when it is located on visible parts of the body.
Akeloidsthey "like" the most on the chest, cleavage, shoulders, face and ears. They don't look aesthetically pleasing, so it's no wonder you'd want to get rid of them.
Methods of treating keloids
Keloid removalis an extremely difficult task for the doctor. This is because building this structure is the body's way of dealing with skin damage.Removing the keloidresults in the formation of a new wound in this place, which the body will want to heal in its own way …
Sometimes keloids grow back even larger. Nevertheless, it happens that surgical interventions bring the desired effect. What tools do we have to fight keloids?
- classic surgical excision
- freezing the altered tissue with liquid nitrogen (cryotherapy)
- radiation therapy
- laser treatment
- compression dressings for burns
- corticosteroid injections
- gamma interferon injections that inhibit collagen synthesis and fibrotic processes
- 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 immediately after the wound has healed.
The CO2laser gives the best prognosis, but still it is only about 30-40%. However, in 60% of patients, a marked reduction of keloids was observed after the use of this therapy.