HOW DO KELOID SCARS FORM? WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A KELOID SCAR AND A HYPERTROPHIC SCAR?
After skin has been injured, the healing process will usually leave a flat scar, level with the skin surface. Sometimes the scar is thickened, otherwise known as “hypertrophic”, but the scar is confined to the margins of the trauma area. Unlike keloids, hypertrophic scars often subside by themselves (a process which can take one year or more). Treatment such as injections of cortisone can accelerate this process. By contrast, keloids do not remain a flat scar. A keloid forms as the healing injured skin produces excess collagen and connective tissue extending beyond the originally damaged area. Keloids do not flatten or regress like hypertrophic scars, and may grow to unsightly, disfiguring proportions. Unlike hypertrophic scars, the time of onset is variable with a keloid and may be weeks to months after an infection or trauma. Keloids may occur spontaneously and hypertrophic scars do not.
After skin has been injured, the healing process will usually leave a flat scar, level with the skin surface. Sometimes the scar is thickened, otherwise known as “hypertrophic”, but the scar is confined to the margins of the trauma area. Unlike keloids, hypertrophic scars often subside by themselves (a process which can take one year or more). Treatment such as injections of cortisone can accelerate this process. By contrast, keloids do not remain a flat scar. A keloid forms as the healing injured skin produces excess collagen and connective tissue extending beyond the originally damaged area. Keloids do not flatten or regress like hypertrophic scars, and may grow too unsightly, disfiguring proportions. Unlike hypertrophic scars, the time of onset is variable with a keloid and may be weeks to months after an infection or trauma. Keloids may occur spontaneously and hypertrophic scars do not.
After skin has been injured, the healing process will usually leave a flat scar, level with the skin surface. Sometimes the scar is thickened, otherwise known as “hypertrophic”, but the scar is confined to the margins of the trauma area. Unlike keloids, hypertrophic scars often subside by themselves (a process which can take one year or more). Treatment such as injections of cortisone can accelerate this process. By contrast, keloids do not remain a flat scar. A skin keloid forms as the healing injured skin produces excess collagen and connective tissue extending beyond the originally damaged area. Keloids do not flatten or regress like hypertrophic scars, and may grow too unsightly, disfiguring proportions. Unlike hypertrophic scars, the time of onset is variable with a keloid and may be weeks to months after an infection or trauma. Keloids may occur spontaneously and hypertrophic scars do not.
