Keloid scars, commonly known as scars, are overgrown abnormal scar tissues formed after healing of skin injury due to unknown causes, which are the result of excessive proliferation of collagen fibers due to loss of normal control of collagen anabolism during the healing process of skin injury. It is a benign lump of varying shape, red color and hard texture that bulges out of normal skin.
Treatment of keloid scars is very difficult and includes intra-lesion injections, liquid nitrogen freezing, radiation therapy, surgery and medication. Radiation inhibits the division and proliferation of fibroblasts and the synthesis of collagen fibers, while promoting the degradation of collagen fibers, thus reducing the size and softening the scar.
In the past, radiation therapy was often performed after the surgery stitches were removed, but now it is recommended to be performed within 24 hours after the surgery. This is because the naive fibroblasts at the incision of the keloid are the majority and the unstable collagen fibers are the main component around 24 hours after the surgery, which are more sensitive to radiation. At the same time, radiation can effectively inhibit the proliferation of this cell, inhibit capillary proliferation at the incision site, and bring the collagen fiber metabolism at the incision site to a relative balance. At the same time, radiotherapy also has certain hemostatic and anti-infective effects.
Studies have shown that combined with early radiotherapy after surgery, the postoperative recurrence rate is reduced to less than 10%, which has the best postoperative cosmetic effect.