What should you know about keloid red?

Keloids are raised scars that can appear pink, red, purple, brown, or darker than nearby skin. A newer or actively growing scar may look more red because of changes in the tissue and small blood vessels. Friction, sun exposure, scratching, or pressure from clothing and jewellery can make the colour more noticeable.

Redness alone cannot confirm that a lump is a keloid. A clinician may need to distinguish it from an inflamed piercing, acne lesion, cyst, allergic reaction, or another skin lump. Notice whether the redness stays within the scar or spreads into surrounding skin.

Avoid picking, rubbing, squeezing, or attempting to drain the area. Keep the skin clean, reduce pressure from straps or jewellery, and protect the scar from strong sunlight with clothing or suitable sunscreen once the skin is healed. Take occasional photographs in similar lighting to track colour and size.

If the keloid is itchy, painful, growing, or cosmetically troubling, arrange a dermatology consultation. Treatment may include steroid injections, pulsed dye laser treatment, other laser approaches, freezing treatment, or surgery. A plan often considers both the raised scar and the chance of it returning after treatment.

Seek prompt care when redness spreads quickly, the skin feels hot, pain is increasing, pus appears, fever develops, or bleeding follows injury. A rapidly changing or newly appearing red lump also deserves examination rather than home treatment.

Does the colour fit a keloid or another problem? Is there evidence of infection or irritation? Which treatment targets redness, thickness, or itch? How should I protect the area during healing?