Medical and surgical therapies for keloids.

Keloids are benign, but sometimes painful and/or pruritic, proliferative growths of dermal collagen, usually resulting from excessive tissue response to trauma. Although benign, the social and psychological impact on affected individuals must be considered. Keloids often arise secondary to ear piercing and operative procedures. No single treatment modality is always successful. The more common ones are discussed. Some of the medical therapies include corticosteroids, interferon, 5-fluorouracil, and imiquimod. Primary excision and cryosurgery are among the major surgical options. Radiation therapies and other physical modalities are also discussed.