Description of site-specific morphology of keloid phenotypes in an Afrocaribbean population

By examining the keloid scars of 211 Afrocaribbean patients presenting to the Plastic Surgery unit in Kingston, Jamaica, we have described site-specific morphologies of scarring; keloid disease is not a homogenous biological entity. All cases conformed to clinical criteria for diagnosis of keloid scarring: 369 keloid scars were present in 137 females (2-83 years; mean 29.6 years; SD+/-14.9 years) and 74 males (5-90 years, mean 29.5 years; SD+/-15.0 years). Morphologies were specific to each anatomical site: trunk scars (n=45,12.1%) were geometrically shaped with clear margins or irregular in outline, surface and margin; back single scars were well-demarcated botryoid but multiple scars were butterfly-shaped, spheroidal and irregular; chest scars (n=72,20.1%) were butterfly or nonbutterfly shaped found most commonly in the midsternal line; upper limb scars (n=57,15.3%) mostly in the deltoid region (propeller shaped) or elsewhere nodular, linear to irregular; ear (n=85,23%) commonest site being the lobe, having reniform to bulbous shape; face and neck (n=60,16.2%) scars were firm nodular to hard; posterior auricular scars were either horizontal and oblong-shaped or vertical and reniform in outline; scalp scars (n=11,2.8%) were commonest in the occipital area varying from small papules to large plaques; lower limb scars (n=39,10.5%) varied from propeller, butterfly, petalloid to dum-bell-shaped. Three plantar and eight pubic keloids were rare findings. Recognition of different morphological phenotypes is necessary in understanding genotypic predisposition and aiding diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of keloid scars.