What are keloid or hypertrophic scars?
It is normal for surgical scars to be red and firm during a six to twelve month healing period. Sometimes scars itch and burn and become widened, red, and raised. This may resolve on its own but frequently requires some form of treatment (pressure dressings, silicone sheeting, steroid injections, and/or surgery) with variable success. Rarely, scars will not only develop these hypertrophic symptoms but also extend beyond the initial incision and overlap the skin. This is a keloid scar and is extremely difficult to treat. People of color (Native Americans, Asians, and Blacks) are at greater risk for developing both of these conditions.
