What should you know about keloid finger?

The scar may rise above the surrounding skin and extend past the original cut or wound. It can feel hard or rubbery, look shiny or darker, and become uncomfortable when the finger bends, grips, or brushes against an object. A scar confined to the wound edges is different from a keloid that grows outside them.

A finger bump can have several causes, including irritation, a cyst, infection, or another scar type. A clinician can compare the lesion with the injury history and examine the finger. See [Skin Lumps](/symptoms/skin-lumps/) for general guidance.

Protect the area from friction, picking, and repeated trauma. Keep healing skin clean and covered as advised, and avoid attempting to shave or cut the raised tissue. Dermatology treatment may involve injections into the scar, pressure or silicone-based measures, laser or freezing, or surgery. The plan depends on depth, position near a joint, symptoms, and whether the scar has changed after earlier treatment.

Your clinician may explain [Steroid Injection Into The Skin](/treatments/injectables/intralesional-steroid-injection/) or [Keloid Removal Surgery](/treatments/surgical-dermatology/keloid-excision/). If movement is affected, mention exactly which activities feel restricted.

Arrange an appointment if the finger scar is enlarging, painful, itchy, cracking, or making bending and gripping difficult. Seek prompt care if the finger becomes hot, increasingly swollen, drains pus, changes colour suddenly, or you feel unwell, as these signs may indicate infection or another urgent problem.

Ask whether the scar crosses a joint, how treatment might affect movement, whether hand therapy is needed, and how recurrence prevention would fit with the procedure chosen.