A keloid is a patch of excessive scar tissue that may form following a skin injury.
Keloids generally form after a skin injury heals. For unknown reasons, some people produce an excess of dense, fibrous tissue at and around the site of injury. A keloid is abnormal because the scar extends above and beyond the site of the original injury. Normal scars stay confined to the site of injury.
The exact cause of keloids is unknown. They do run in families, however, and are associated with certain abnormal genes. Other risk factors for keloids include the following:
Keloids are associated with skin healing after injury. Some events associated with keloid formation include the following: