What can form on the skin after an injury?

Keloids are a specific type of scar that form as a result of an injury to the skin. When the skin is damaged, whether through surgery, cuts, or other forms of trauma, the body responds by producing collagen to heal the wound. In some individuals, this healing process can become exaggerated, leading to an overproduction of collagen that results in a keloid. Keloids are characterized by raised, thickened areas of scar tissue that extend beyond the boundaries of the original injury.

Understanding keloids is important in the context of skin healing; they can occur in anyone but are more prevalent in certain skin types and ethnic groups. Unlike other outcomes of skin injury such as regular scars, keloids can be quite prominent and can sometimes cause discomfort or undergo changes over time. Treatments for keloids may involve steroid injections, silicone gel sheeting, or in some cases, surgical removal, but there is a risk of recurrence.

While warts, scars, and bumps can also form on the skin after some type of injury or condition, they do not specifically reflect the unique process and characteristics associated with keloids.