What is a Keloid?
A keloid is an unusually large scar that extends beyond the area of the original injury. Certain individuals show a tendency to getting these exaggerated, unsightly scars, and get them repeatedly in response to injury. Our Wichita podiatrist explains more below.
How Does a Keloid Feel?
Keloids are usually painless, unless there is a trapped nerve or it's in an area irritated by clothing (including shoes). If a nerve is trapped, you may feel a sharp, shooting pain. If the problem is clothing or shoe irritation, it may just feel sore.
Can You Test for a Keloid?
There isn't usually a need for any specific tests. Your doctor may want to send a sample of the lesion for a biopsy.
What Causes Keloids?
When the skin heals normally after an injury, the body has its own timetable during which certain cells perform specific activities. For reasons not entirely clear, the repair process in some people doesn't work properly and their body has an exaggerated response to the injury. Consequently, extra scar tissue forms, resulting in a very large scar that extends beyond the original site of injury. Sometimes the growth can be very extensive. For unknown reasons, these lesions tend to occur more often in dark skinned individuals.
What Can I Do for a Keloid?
You can observe the keloid for any changes and inform your doctor if problems arise. Avoid constrictive clothing or tight shoes that may irritate the area, and of course, avoid any injury that may cause scarring in the first place.
What Will My Podiatrist Do for a Keloid?
Your doctor may first inject a steroid into the keloid. The steroid is a medication that slows down the growth of cells in an attempt to create a more normal healing process. Sometimes the steroids can sheeting, that can be applied to the keloid to reduce its size. Some doctors may try using a steroid cream in combination with ultrasound therapy for treatment. If the keloid is still bothersome, the doctor may consider removing it with surgery or a laser, followed by steroid injections to minimize the chance of excess scarring after the procedure. Surgically removal of a keloid always caries with it the risk that a new keloid will form at the site that the original keloid is removed.
How to Prevent Keloids
If you've had keloids before, make sure you let your doctor knows about it, especially if you're having any kind of surgery. The surgeon will want to try and avoid the thick scarring by using some of the above methods starting right after surgery. Also, if you sustain any large cuts or scrapes, you may want to talk to your doctor about treatments to avoid heavy scarring before it becomes a problem. Avoid constrictive clothing or tight shoes that may irritate the area, and of course, avoid any injury that may cause scarring in the first place.
