RYL Forums - Raised scars *poss trig*

Ok well that could be one of two things. The pain might mean that they are infected. However I think that is unlikly as the area would probably be wam to touch. The other thing that they could be are what is called keloid scars. Obviously it cant really be diagnosed over the internet and so you would be best to speak to your GP regarding them. They are nothing to worry about though. But I shall include some information regarding Keloid scars for you. Hope that helps.

Take Care
Kim

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Keloid Scars

Keloid scars are defined as an abnormal scar that grows beyond the boundary of the original site of a skin injury. It is a raised and ill defined growth of skin in the area of damaged skin. Although anyone can form a keloid scar some ethnic groups are at more risk of developing them. You are 16% more susceptible if you are African-American or Hispanic. Keloid scars are seen 15 times more in highly pigmented ethnic groups rather than Caucasians.
Where can you get them?

Some areas of the body do seem more susceptible, the deltoid region of the upper arm, the upper back, and the sternum. The earlobes and the back of the neck are common sites.
Why do you get them?

It is not fully understood why or how keloid scars occur. Skin trauma appears to be the most common factor although they can form and there seems no apparent causation.

Skin and/or muscle tension seem to contribute to keloid formation and this is demonstrated by the most common sites of their formation (the upper arm and back). However if that was the full story you would expect that other sites, such as the palm of the hand or the soles of the feet to be just as vulnerable, but this is not the case. Infection at a wound site, repeated trauma to the same area, skin tension or a foreign body in a wound can also be factors, which becomes more of an issues when the subject is a self-harmer.

There also appears to be a genetic component to keloid scarring. It is known that if someone in your family have keloids then you are at increased risk. Other theories include a deficiency or an excess in melanocyte hormone (MSH), decreased percentages of mature collagen and increased soluble collagen, or that very small blood vessels get blocked and the resulting lack of oxygen contribute to keloid formation. Whilst the lack of a clear cut theory does demonstrate the lack of understanding of the condition, it also shows that some work is being done to find the cause. Finding out the exact cause will hopefully mean better preventative medicine and more effective treatment in the future, but there are many problems with inadequate follow up of people with the condition, lack of a clear cut-off from treatment and just too few studies in general hampering the search for a cure.
Can I avoid getting them?

The fact is that there may be little you can do if you are unfortunate enough to have the sort of skin that reacts by forming keloid scarring. You can assist the healing process by keeping any wounds clean, that may help. If you know you are susceptible because of previous experience or a family connection then you can avoid taking extra risks. Do not have piercing or tattoos done and make sure you tell your doctor if you require surgery. There is a high rate of recurrence - up to 50%. Some doctors say that all highly pigmented people should avoid tattoos and piercing to be on the safe side.
Treatment

There are 3 treatment options, surgical removal, non-surgical interventions or combination treatments. I will briefly discuss each one:
Surgical treatment

This is the most effective and the least complex of the available forms of treatment, the recurrence rate however is thought to be about 50%, so a bit disappointing to say the least. Lasers have been tried as an alternative to knife surgery but so far the outcomes are no better.
Non surgical treatments

Interferon therapy (drugs acting on the immune system), has been reported as effective in reducing keloid scarring however it does have significant side effects. Examples are toxicity, flu like symptoms, depression, nausea and vomiting. Prolonged compression of scar tissue can theoretically soften and break up keloid scars, however the practicality of this option depends on the location of the keloid. Other non-surgical interventions that are currently being tried with varying results include antihistamines, vitamins, nitrogen mustard, Verapamil, retinoic acids.
Combined treatments

One option involves surgical removal of scar tissue in combination with a couple of steroid injections -one at the time of the surgery and the second injection about 3 to 4 weeks later.
However, this type of treatment is variously reported as having between a 50% to 70% rate of recurrence.

Another option combines surgery with external type radiotherapy. Radiation has the effect of interfering with skin growth (fibroblasts) and collagen production. Research varies on which type of combination therapy is the more effective. Both radiotherapy and steroid drugs have side effects so you need to discuss with your doctor the most effective. It may be worth getting a second opinion before proceeding with either treatment.