4. Several years after a motorcycle accident and resulting road rash, this 23-year-old Hispanic woman is left with complex scars. She experiences pruritus, pain, and hypersensitivity and is seeking relief.
Diagnosis: Often confused with hypertrophic scars, keloids are benign overgrowths of scar tissue that can occur months to years after skin trauma. They are most common in those ages 10 to 30, with a higher incidence among blacks, Hispanics, and Asians. Although the exact etiology of keloids is unknown, they are related to aberrant collagen production and breakdown in wound healing.
For more information, see “Laser treatment of scars and keloids.” Cosmet Dermatol. 2012;25:318-325.