What is the cause of keloids?
Doctors do not understand exactly why keloids form in certain people or situations and not in others. Changes in the cellular signals that control growth and proliferation may be related to the process of keloid formation, but these changes have not yet been characterized scientifically.
Which people are most susceptible to keloids?
Keloids are equally common in women and men, although at least in times past more women developed them because of a greater degree of earlobe and body piercing among women. Keloids are less common in children and the elderly. Although people with darker skin are more likely to develop them, keloids can occur in people of all skin types. In some cases, the tendency to form keloids seems to run in families.
In which area of the body are keloids most likely to appear?
Keloids develop most often on the chest, back, shoulders, and earlobes. They rarely develop on the face (with the exception of the jawline).
Keloids and piercing
Keloids can develop following the minor injuries that occur with body piercing. Since doctors do not understand the precise reasons why some people are more prone to developing keloids, it is impossible to predict whether
piercing will lead to keloid formation. Although there are some families which seem prone to forming keloids, for the most part, it's impossible to tell who will develop a keloid. One person might, for instance, develop a keloid in one earlobe after piercing and not in the other. It makes sense, however, for someone who has formed one keloid to avoid any elective surgery or piercing, especially in body areas prone to scarring.
Is keloid prevention possible?
The best way to deal with a keloid is not to get one. A person who has had a keloid should not undergo elective skin surgeries or procedures such as piercing. When it comes to keloids, prevention is crucial, because current treatments are often not completely successful and may not work at all.
