keloid

(kē′loyd″ )

To hear audio pronunciation of this topic, purchase a subscription or log in.

[ kelis or Gr. chēlē, claw + -oid ]
An exuberant scar that forms at the site of an injury or incision and spreads beyond the borders of the original lesion. The scar is made up of a swirling mass of collagen fibers and fibroblasts. Grossly it appears to have a shiny surface and a rubbery consistency. The most common locations for keloid formation are on the shoulders, chest, and back.
Descriptive text is not available for this image

KELOID

TREATMENT
The injection of a corticosteroid sometimes helps the lesion regress. Freezing the tissue with liquid nitrogen, applying pressure dressings, treating it with lasers, excising it, or a combination of these treatments may be used, but recurrences are frequent.

Descriptive text is not available for this image

KELOIDS

There's more to see -- the rest of this topic is available only to subscribers.