KELOIDS ARE THICK, puckered, itchy clusters of scar tissue that grow beyond the edges of a wound or incision. They are often red or darker in color than the surrounding skin.
Keloids occur when the body continues to produce the tough, fibrous protein known as collagen after a wound has healed. Keloids can appear anywhere on the body, but they’re most common over the breastbone, on the earlobes, and on the shoulders. They occur more often for people with dark-skin than in those who are fair-skinned. The tendency to develop keloids lessens with age.
No matter which approach for removal is taken, keloids have a stubborn tendency to recur – sometimes even larger than before. To discourage this, Dr. Harris usually combines the keloid removal with steroid injections and sometimes radiation therapy. This is generally performed under local anesthesia in Dr. Harris’ surgical facility. You may be asked to wear a pressure garment (or a special earring if the keloid is on the earlobe) over the area for as long as a year.
