Adverse Effects of Pregnancy on Keloids and Hypertrophic Scars

There are many well-known risk factors for keloids and hypertrophic scars (HTS) including ethnicity, family history, and history of previous keloids or HTS. An association, which has been previously observed, exists between pregnancy and growth and worsening of keloid and HTS. This association is less well known amongst physicians and less documented in the literature. In this paper we discuss two cases of extreme worsening of keloid scars during pregnancy. We have also witnessed the transformation of a pre-existing scar into a keloid scar during puberty. We attribute this to the hormonal effects of pregnancy and puberty hormones which could potentially trigger the growth of pre-existing keloids and HTS. This may have an impact on many patients and we therefore recommend women and girls who have keloid and hypertrophic scarring be made aware of this potential effect.