When the body repairs a wound, it often does so by creating
fibrous scar tissue. Internal scars that may develop following
surgery can cause significant pain. Surface scars are generally
painless, but they may be cosmetically unpleasant. In some
cases, scars on the skin can develop into a special form of
oversized scar called a keloid. Keloids are generally red or
pink, and often form a ridge several millimeters above the skin.
These scars occur when the body continues to fill the scar with
collagen after it has healed. Darker-skinned people are more
likely to develop keloids than those with lighter skin.
Conventional treatment of any type of scar is less than entirely
satisfactory. Keloids and other scars on the skin may be reduced
in size by freezing (cryotherapy), steroid injections, radiation
therapy, or surgical removal. However, a new, even more visible
scar may develop in the place of the one that was removed.
Similarly, removal of painful internal scars may lead to the new
formation of painful scar ti