Who gets keloid scars and who is at risk?
The development of keloid scars is more common in dark-skinned people. Fair-skinned people are more likely to develop hypertrophic or thick scars that eventually fade. Women are more likely to develop keloids, as are people under the age of 30. It has also been suggested that a genetic disposition needs to exist for keloid scars to form, but the exact pattern is not known. Heavy scarring is more likely when a wound is closed under tension or where there is an infection or bleeding after surgery. Keloids are also more likely if a foreign body is present in the wound, as may occur after an accident. After cosmetic surgery, certain scars tend to become thicker, such as those associated with otoplasty (having ears pinned back), breast reductions and abdominoplasty (tummy tuck).
