Causes and Diagnoses

Causes and Diagnoses of Keloids

Researchers still don’t know what causes certain people to produce excess collagen and develop keloids. You are at a higher risk of developing keloids if you:

• Are of African, Asian or Hispanic heritage
• Have a family history of keloids
• Are under 30 years old

If someone is prone to keloids, nearly any injury to the skin can cause them to grow, including:

• Surgical incision
• Burn
• Cut
• Ear piercing
• Tattoo
• Severe acne
• Chickenpox
• Nothing at all, in the case of spontaneous keloids

Diagnosing keloids

A diagnosis of keloid scar usually involves just a physical exam. If it’s a strange shape or unknown origin, your physician may take a biopsy (small sample) of the tissue to study under a microscope.