Keloid Hospital Scar Treatment: Thorough Understanding of Skin Causes is Essential | [Yonsei Star Dermatology Sinchon]

If a healed wound bulges more than the original skin and grows larger over time, it may not be a simple scar but a keloid. The first question that comes to mind is likely, "Is this just a scar, or is it a keloid?" Since the recovery process and management approach differ for the two, accurate differentiation is the starting point for treatment.

Keloids are scars where constitutional and genetic skin characteristics play a significant role. While they do not appear in everyone, there is a reported possibility of occurrence in individuals whose skin tends to swell and redden when stimulated. Therefore, it is not uncommon for people to confuse them with other scars or skin conditions and only realize it later after confirmation at a clinic.

During the process of damaged skin healing a wound, fibrous tissue proliferates abnormally, appearing as a form that is much larger and more noticeably raised than the original wound area. Unlike typical scars that gradually fade over time, keloids can spread beyond their boundaries or recur.

Even a small size can feel significant to the individual, causing considerable stress. Furthermore, if it grows in volume and protrudes over time, it can lead to daily discomfort. Since the management method varies depending on the type of scar, it is necessary to first check the characteristics of keloid scars.

There are symptoms that resemble keloids but have different characteristics, requiring differentiation. For example, dermatographism causes distinct marks to swell along the stimulated area, but it is a temporary phenomenon that gradually subsides within minutes to hours. It appears due to allergic reactions, stress, or the influence of medication, and is mostly mild.

Keloids progress slowly as the wound heals, making early detection difficult by visual inspection alone. They are often confused with hypertrophic scars, which are similar raised scars, so medical confirmation can help with accurate differentiation.

In clinical practice, keloids tend to occur in areas where the skin tension is strong. Representative areas include the earlobes, shoulders, chest, jawline, knees, elbows, and wrists. Especially on the jaw or chest, they are sometimes mistaken for acne marks and overlooked.

More caution is needed in the following situations:

• If you have experienced skin swelling and redness from minor injuries in the past
• If there is a family history of keloid tendency
• If you are planning surgery, tattoos, or piercings
• If an injury occurs in areas with strong tension, such as the jaw, chest, or shoulders
• If elevation reappears in an area that has already been treated

If you are anticipating procedures that leave scars on the skin, such as surgery or tattoos, it is advisable to consider the possibility of scar swelling during the recovery process in advance. If you suspect a constitutional predisposition, it is safer to inform the medical staff of your skin characteristics before the procedure.

If you have any questions, you can easily ask them using Keloid Scar Chat Consultation.

Keloid injection treatment can help reduce the thickness of raised scars. However, since it is not a method that eliminates the cause itself, the effect may be temporary, and it may return to its original state over time. Some individuals experience pain during the treatment process, which can be tiring if repeated.

Therefore, a method combining laser treatment is considered to maintain the effect. By utilizing Triamcinolone Scar Injection to control scar thickness together with laser, an approach that manages both elevation and color changes is possible. If redness in the wound area does not subside, Vbeam Prima vascular laser may be used to improve excessively proliferated blood vessels and refine skin tone.

If it occurs like a lump on the ear, a process to refine the raised area is necessary. In addition to surgical methods, non-incisional, precise removal using high-output lasers like Ultrapulse Encore, without a long recovery period, is also an option. For larger or deeper areas, Surgical Scar Revision may also be considered.

Since keloids can expand in scope over time and carry a risk of recurrence, it is crucial to accurately identify and address them early upon discovery. Currently, there is no definitive way to determine in advance if one has a keloid predisposition before it occurs. It is only possible to infer the possibility from phenomena such as skin swelling from minor stimuli.

It is most important to be careful not to create unnecessary wounds initially and to manage them consistently after treatment to prevent recurrence. Since the customized approach varies depending on the cause and location of the scar, a different strategy may be needed compared to the management of cosmetic surgery scars, which have different causes.

If you notice symptoms suspected of being keloid scars, or if recurrence symptoms appear in an area that has already been treated, we recommend getting an accurate confirmation. We will work with you to help achieve clear skin through treatment and management that you can be satisfied with until the end.

Chief Director Lee Sang-ju (MD, PhD, Yonsei University College of Medicine and Graduate School; Completed Dermatology Residency at Severance Hospital; President of the Korean Dermatological Association) Chief Director Lee Sang-ju's Profile First Published 2025-01-02 / Last Reviewed 2026-06-16

This content is for general information purposes only, and as scar types and treatment responses vary individually, please consult with medical staff for an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.