Keloids – What Are They?
Collagen is naturally produced in the body to heal wounds and form scar tissue. However, aggressive and constant collagen production in an area can lead to a keloid.
Keloids – What Do They Look Like?
Keloid scars usually have the following characteristics:
- Painful
- Hard to touch
- Shiny appearance
- Raised above the skin
- Might be itchy
- May develop a lumpy appearance
- Sometimes have hair growing through keloid
- Hairlessness on ears
- Continuing to grow and spread
- New ones are red or purple
- Older scars may turn pale and flatten with time and treatment
1) Keloids that are flat and painful are often found located in the mid-line of the chest. However, keloids can occur on any part of the body. People who are prone to develop keloids can get them from any type of injury, even a scratch or a pimple. They are known to be hyper-inflammatory. Such scars and keloids are tender to touch and can form at any age. Until they are removed, they could keep hurting an individual all day long, making it difficult for them to function i.e. go to work etc. Management of hyper-inflammatory keloids can be quite challenging.
2) Not all keloids give rise to physical pain. All scars are not keloids. Some scars can be thick and they are called hypertrophic scars. Some scars are truly painful. Scars and keloids that disfigure someone’s face or other prominent part of the body can be affecting their life and their function. Removal of such scars and keloids can be treated. Some scars and keloids are treated with injections only. Some will benefit from surgery. Some will benefit from a combination of surgery and injection. Some keloids also benefit from radiation therapy in combination with surgery.
3) Other keloids can be located in places that limit range of mobility, such as the neck or knee. A tight scar that occurs near a joint could affect its movement. Such scars might keep a person from performing their job etc. Their removal is also a medical necessity.
Keloids – Will My Insurance Cover It?
Keloid removal can be a medically necessary procedure. Most insurance companies and Medicare will cover Keloid removal procedures and reconstruction including:
- When the disfigurement caused by keloid scars interferes with daily activities
- When keloid removal is done as a part of a post-accident reconstruction
- When there is pain and drainage of pus from the site
