Sometimes they can continue to grow for years. A keloid grows slowly over months but may not be obvious for up to a year.What are the characteristics of a keloid? Keloids can affect a patient’s self-esteem and quality of life. Additionally, keloid scars can develop up to a year after surgery or injury. However, in contrast to normal scar formation, keloid scars do not stop growing and can invade healthy tissue beyond the area of the original wound. Keloids are a type of raised scar composed of excessive scar tissue that develops at the site of a skin injury, regardless of the cause. Over time, the scar matures, changing from red to pink and then fades, becoming less and less noticeable. The scar tissue is tougher and less flexible than the normal skin tissue. In normal wound healing, scar formation and maturation can take several months.
When your skin is injured, the body attempts to repair the wound by depositing collagen around the wound in an effort to seal and protect it from future injury. Genetics, age, skin color and medications can affect how you heal. A scar can result from trauma to the skin, such as those from surgical wounds, chicken pox, insect bites, injection sites, burns, blisters, acne, piercings, or tattoos.
