Keloids are benign (non cancerous) fibrous skin tumors that occur during abnormal skin healing. Keloids usually occur at the site of skin damage (e.g. cuts, burns, chicken pox, insect bites, piercings, surgery, tattoos etc.) and tend to develop most often on the chest, back, shoulders, earlobes and scalp. The possibility of Keloid growth is not determined by the severity of the wound as even a minor skin abrasion can result in Keloid formation.
WHY DO I HAVE KELOIDS?
Human skin is comprised of epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous layers. Normally, during skin healing there is a balance between the production and the breakdown of collagen which is a protein that makes up the fibers in the skin. With keloidal scars the cells in the skin called fibroblasts produce excessive amounts of collagen. It is unclear what causes this unusual healing process as most researchers have frustratedly concluded that Keloids are caused by either genetic factors, skin tension or the presence of a very high number of fibroblasts in the skin.
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