Keloids: a review of therapeutic management

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Wound Healing
• Regenerative Medicine

Background:

• Keloid scars stem from abnormal fibroproliferative collagen responses and excessive extracellular matrix production.
• Existing treatments like intralesional steroids and surgical excision for keloids have high recurrence rates.
• Effective keloid management remains challenging due to the complex pathophysiology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To consolidate recent literature on keloid scar formation and treatment.
• To provide updated treatment recommendations for keloidal scar management.
• To offer insights for evidence-based clinical decision-making in patient care.

Main Methods:

• Conducted a literature search using PubMed and MEDLINE.
• Reviewed over 100 articles, including narrative reviews, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses.
• Focused on updated information regarding keloid incidence and treatment modalities.

Main Results:

• Keloid management requires a multimodal approach.
• No single gold standard treatment exists, but combination therapies show favorable results.
• Synergistic combinations, such as laser therapy with intralesional steroids or 5-fluorouracil with steroids, are promising.

Conclusions:

• Updated treatment guidelines for keloids emphasize multimodal and combination strategies.
• Novel therapies like autologous fat grafting and stem cell-based treatments warrant future investigation.
• Evidence-based approaches are crucial for optimizing patient-focused keloid management.