What should you know about internal keloid?

Keloids form during wound healing after an injury such as a piercing, operation, burn, vaccination or acne spot. The scar can be smooth, shiny, darker or lighter than nearby skin and may continue to thicken beyond the first wound edges. Itching, tenderness, tightness and sensitivity are common sensations. A scar that is growing, ulcerated, bleeding or very different from the original injury needs examination because not every skin lump is a keloid.

Do not cut, squeeze or repeatedly traumatise the area. Protect it from friction and sun while arranging assessment. A dermatologist may compare its shape with the original wound and discuss intralesional steroid injection, cryotherapy or laser treatment. Fractional laser treatment may alter texture, while pulsed dye laser treatment can target redness in selected scars. Surgical excision or keloid removal surgery can be considered in some cases, often with a plan to reduce regrowth risk. Treatment choice depends on location, size, symptoms and previous response.

Arrange an appointment if a scar is enlarging, painful, persistently itchy, restricting movement or catching on clothing. Seek earlier review for warmth, drainage, spreading redness, an open sore or sudden change. A new lump after acne or trauma may have another explanation, so diagnosis should come before treatment. If a lesion changes without a clear injury, a clinician may need to examine it closely rather than assuming it is scar tissue.

Does this fit a keloid or another skin lump? How far does it extend beyond the original injury? Which treatment suits its location and symptoms? What will help limit regrowth after treatment?