Cancerous Keloid: What You Should Know

Keloids form when scar tissue extends beyond the original injury, such as acne, piercing, surgery, or a cut. They may be firm, smooth, shiny, darker or lighter than nearby skin, itchy, tender, or tight. They can enlarge gradually and remain raised. A lesion that appears without a clear injury, changes quickly, ulcerates, bleeds, becomes fixed, or has a different texture may be something other than a keloid. A clinician may compare it with the original scar and examine the surrounding skin.

Avoid unnecessary piercing or elective skin injury in an area that has formed keloids, and do not cut or burn the scar at home. Keep the surface moisturised if it is dry and reduce friction from clothing or jewellery. Treatment may include steroid injection into the skin, silicone-based care, laser treatment, cryotherapy, or keloid removal surgery. Because keloids can recur after treatment, the plan may combine approaches and include follow-up.

Arrange prompt medical review for a raised lesion that grows quickly, bleeds, breaks down, becomes increasingly painful, changes colour, or develops a new firm area. Seek urgent help for spreading redness with fever or rapidly worsening swelling. These changes call for examination because the diagnosis may need confirmation; they do not mean the lesion is cancer.

Ask whether the lesion extends beyond an old injury, what treatment fits its size and location, how recurrence will be reduced, and whether sampling is needed because its appearance is atypical. Discuss effects on movement, itching, colour, and scarring.