It can be a huge embarrassment. For women, its positioning often provokes an un-pretty feeling. It's fleshy appearance, often time hanging from ear lobes provokes curiosity and even scorn from others passing by. Keloids have been popping up on the earlobes of many young women in recent years, often leading to the question, "how did I get this?" Locally, many blame its emergence on piercing the ear in "plum" season, while others say it's the result of piercing the ear on a vein but according to medicinenet.com, doctors do not understand exactly why keloids form in certain people and situations, and not in others. Keloids are most commonly seen on the earlobes, but they're also seen on the chest, back and shoulders in some instances.
Medicinenet.com explains that although people with darker skin complexions are more likely to develop them, keloids can occur in people of all skin types, adding that in some cases, the tendency to form keloids seems to run in families. Explaining that keloids can develop following the minor injuries that occur with body piercing, the online medical source says that since doctors do not understand the precise reason as to why some people are more prone to developing keloids, it is impossible to predict whether piercing would ultimately lead to keloid formation. As such, they say the best way to deal with a keloid is to simply avoid getting one.
The site advises that people who have had keloids should refrain from undergoing elective skin surgeries or procedures such as piercing. In case you're unfamiliar with the medical term keloid and are wondering what it is really, here are a few distinguishing signs that you may have a keloid. They are raised and look shiny and dome-shaped, ranging in color from pink to red. Some keloids become quite large and unsightly. These exuberant scars tend to be itchy, tender, or even painful to the touch.
Possible Treatment Options:
Many people have battled with keloids over the years, so if you've got one, you're not alone. If you've had it removed before and it came back, maybe you can try another treatment option. Here's a list of options recommended by medicinenet.com
Cortisone injections (intra-lesional steroids)
These are safe and not very painful. Injections are usually given once per month until the maximum benefit is obtained. Injections are safe (very little steroid gets into the bloodstream) and usually help flatten keloids; however, steroid injections can also make the flattened keloid redder by stimulating the formation of more superficial blood vessels. (These can be treated using a laser.) The keloid may look better after treatment than it looked to start with, but even the best results leave a mark that looks and feels quite different from the surrounding skin.
Surgery
This is risky, because cutting a keloid can trigger the formation of a similar or even larger keloid. Some surgeons achieve success by injecting steroids or applying pressure dressings to the wound site after cutting away the keloid. Radiation after surgical excision has also been used.
Laser
The pulsed-dye laser can be effective at flattening keloids and making them look less red. Treatment is safe and not very painful, but several treatment sessions may be needed.
Silicone sheets
This involves wearing a sheet of silicone gel on the affected area for several hours a day for weeks or months, which is hard to sustain. Results are variable. Some doctors claim similar success with compression dressings made from materials other than silicone.
Cryotherapy
Freezing keloids with liquid nitrogen may flatten them but often darkens the site of treatment.
Interferon
Interferons are proteins produced by the body's immune systems that help fight off viruses, bacteria, and other challenges. In recent studies, injections of interferon have shown promise in reducing the size of keloids, though it's not yet certain whether that effect will be lasting. Current research is underway using a variant of this method, applying topical imiquimod (Aldara), which stimulates the body to produce interferon.
Radiation
Some doctors have reported safe and effective use of radiation to treat keloids.