Keloid scars
Overview
A keloid scar is a raised scar left on the skin after a wound has healed. You cannot get rid of it, but treatment can help improve how it looks.
Symptoms
A keloid scar usually appears a few weeks to years after you damage or injure your skin, such as after a cut, burn or acne. A keloid scar usually grows for months or years and becomes bigger than the original wound. While it's growing, it may feel itchy or painful. This usually stops once it's finished growing. If it's on or near a joint, the joint can be uncomfortable or difficult to move.
Causes
A keloid scar is when a scar keeps growing and becomes bigger than the original wound. It can happen if you have too much of a substance called collagen in your skin. It can happen after any sort of injury or damage to your skin such as a cut, burn, surgery, acne or a body piercing. You're more likely to get a keloid scar if you: are of south Asian, Chinese, African Caribbean or Black African originare aged 10 to 30 yearsare pregnanthave had a keloid scar before
Treatment
You cannot get rid of a keloid scar, but there are treatments that can help improve how it looks and reduce irritation. Treatments may include: steroid injections or creamsilicone dressings or gelscryotherapy (a treatment to freeze the keloid scar)laser therapy Surgery to remove the keloid scar is not usually recommended because it's likely to grow back bigger.