I Carry Keloids, and This Is My Story
A letter from the keloid girl, for anyone who has ever felt ashamed of their skin. I am writing this with keloids on my chest and both sides of my cheeks, stretching to my neck. For many years, I believed I was cursed. I believed I was ugly. I believed the stares, the whispers, the questions—“What has happened to you?”—were proof that something inside me was broken. I hid under weaves even in 35-degree heat. I stopped reciting poems, one thing that made me feel alive since I was a little girl, or showing up in public places with my friends. When I walked to the market, I kept my eyes on the ground so I wouldn’t see people looking. For 14 years, I hated the girl in the mirror. Because I thought they had stolen my life before it even started. Then one day, I decided, if I could not remove these marks from my body, I would at least remove the shame from my heart. This long post is for two kinds of people:
- My brothers and sisters across Africa and the world who wake up every morning carrying the same heavy feeling I carried—who think they are alone.
- Everyone else who has ever stared, asked an uncomfortable question, or wondered “What are those things?” I want you to understand, so that next time you see someone like me, you will offer a smile instead of a stare.
You are both welcome here. Let’s walk together.
What Exactly Is a Keloid?
When your skin gets injured—maybe a small pimple, a cut from a knife while cooking, a burn from hot sadza, an ear piercing, or even chickenpox—the body sends a repair material called collagen to close the wound. For most people, the collagen stops when the job is finished, and you are left with a thin line or a small mark. For some of us, the body forgets to stop. It keeps making collagen for months and years. The scar grows bigger than the original wound, becomes thick, raised, shiny, and sometimes darker than the rest of the skin. Doctors call this a keloid (pronounced kee-loyd). Medical description from experts says, “Keloids are benign fibroproliferative tumours characterised by excessive deposition of collagen beyond the boundaries of the original wound.” Professor Rei Ogawa, Japan (one of the world’s top keloid researchers, 2017 and Dr. Ardeshir Bayat, University of Manchester, 2020.
Please note
They are NOT contagious.
They are NOT a sign of HIV.
They are NOT caused by witchcraft, dirty water, or eating too many mangoes.
They are simply how some bodies heal. Keloids love these places on the body:
- Chest (especially the middle)
- Shoulders
- Upper back
- Ears (after piercing)
- Sometimes the face or arms
Who Gets Keloids?
Anyone can, but some groups are much more likely to develop them:
- People with brown or black skin (African, African-American, Caribbean, Asian, and Hispanic backgrounds) have the highest chance. Studies show 6–16 out of every 100 people of African descent may form keloids during their lifetime (Ogawa, 2017; Ud-Din & Bayat, 2020).
- It often runs in families. If your parents or siblings have keloids, your risk is 6–7 times higher (Marneros et al., 2004).
- Young people (ages 10–30) get them more often than older adults or very young children.
What Causes Keloids?
Scientists still don’t know the exact reason, but they agree on three big factors:
- Genetics – Your genes decide how strongly your skin “heals.” Some families have an overactive healing switch that never turns off.
- Skin injury – Even tiny injuries can start a keloid: acne, ear piercing, chickenpox, burns, vaccinations, or surgery.
- Tension and inflammation – Wounds on stretched skin (chest, shoulders) or wounds that get infected heal with more inflammation and are more likely to turn into keloids (Ogawa et al., 2016).
Can We Prevent Keloids?
There is no 100 % way to stop them if you are prone, but these steps lower the risk:
- Avoid unnecessary piercings or tattoos, especially on the ears and chest.
- Treat acne early so pimples don’t leave deep marks.
- Keep new cuts clean and moist (don’t pick scabs!).
- Some dermatologists put silicone sheets or gel on fresh wounds in high-risk people. Research shows this can reduce severe scarring (Gold et al., 2014).
Treatments That Actually Help (Backed by Science)
No single treatment cures every keloid, but many people see big improvement when doctors combine methods.
- Steroid injections (triamcinolone)
The most common first treatment. A tiny needle puts medicine right into the keloid once a month. It flattens the scar in 50–80 % of cases and stops itching and pain (Mustoe et al., 2002; Gold et al., 2014).
- Silicone sheets or gel
Worn or applied daily for months. Very safe and especially good for children or new scars.
- Laser therapy
Special gentle lasers make keloids softer, lighter, and less red. Best when combined with steroid shots (Alster & Tanzi, 2003).
- Surgery + extra help
Cutting the keloid out alone makes it grow back bigger in 50–100 % of people. But when doctors add steroid shots, radiation, or special creams right after surgery, the chance of it returning drops to 10–25 % (Berman et al., 2017).
- Cryotherapy (freezing)
Works well for small or new keloids.
Newer options being studied, for instance, 5-fluorouracil injections, botulinum toxin (Botox) to relax tension, and medicines that calm the immune system.
Most experts now agree that combination therapy works best.
The Hidden Pain – It Hurts Deeper Than the Skin
Keloids are far more than a cosmetic concern; they frequently cause significant physical and psychosocial morbidity.
Physical discomfort and pain
Chronic pruritus and pain are reported in up to 85% of patients (Bijlard et al., 2017). The constant tension within the expanding scar triggers mechanoreceptor and nociceptor stimulation. Large keloids on the chest or shoulders can ulcerate or become infected, further exacerbating discomfort. Emotional distress and self-consciousness
Multiple validated studies using the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS) demonstrate significantly impaired quality of life, comparable to severe psoriasis or eczema (Bock et al., 2006; Brown et al., 2008). Patients frequently report embarrassment, social withdrawal, anxiety, and depression, and avoidance of clothing that reveals the keloid. In a 2020 qualitative study by the British Journal of Dermatology, many participants described feeling “disfigured” and “monstrous,” with some avoiding intimate relationships.
Research shows that living with visible keloids can hurt as much emotionally as physically.86 % of people with keloids feel itching or pain every day (Bijlard et al., 2017).
Many score their quality of life as low as people with severe eczema or psoriasis (Bock et al., 2006).
Children and teenagers are often teased; adults avoid swimming, dating, or job interviews.
Anxiety, depression, and social withdrawal are common (Brown et al., 2008).
Limitations in movement or function
Keloids over joints (shoulder, elbow, knee) or neck) can cause contractures and restricted range of motion. Extensive earlobe keloids may prevent wearing earrings or glasses. In severe cases, large presternal or back keloids can interfere with posture and sleep.
And;
Yes, keloids can itch until you cry, especially when it’s hot. Yes, the big ones can be painful when you carry a jerrycan of water or when you lie on your stomach to sleep. But the deeper wound is in the spirit. I have seen grown women refuse to remove their shirts at the beach.
I have seen teenage girls drop out of school because classmates kept calling them “monster.”
I have seen mothers cover their babies’ earlobe keloids with huge earrings so neighbours will not talk. A large 2017 study asked hundreds of people with keloids, “How do you feel?”
More than 80 % said: embarrassed, ugly, depressed, angry at God. I felt all these emotions myself. You keep asking why me, and unfortunately, this is the most difficult question to answer because at the end we never get the answer anyway of why us.
Many said they feel less of a person. Children get it worst. They come home crying, “Why did God make only me like this?”
And parents—good parents—sometimes make it worse by shouting, “Stop touching it! You are making it bigger!” when the child is only scratching because it itches. And some dont even know what they are, so they dont even say anything. If you are reading this and your heart feels heavy every time you look at your keloid, please hear me:
The scar is on your skin.
The shame was taught to you.
You can unlearn it.
Treatments Exist—But Many of Us Cannot Reach Them. In big hospitals, doctors can:
- Inject medicine (steroids) to flatten the keloid
- Use laser lights to make it softer and lighter
- Cut it out and give radiation so it doesn’t come back bigger
- Freeze small ones with liquid nitrogen
These things work. Studies show 70–90 % improvement when done well. But let’s be honest, most of us cannot pay for monthly trips to private clinics. Some of us live three bus rides away from the nearest dermatologist. Some of us must choose between treating a keloid and buying maize flour for the family. So what do we do when the money is the biggest scar of all?
Conclusion
Keloids represent a complex fibroproliferative disorder with strong genetic predisposition, triggered by skin injury and amplified by prolonged inflammation. They disproportionately affect individuals with darker skin types and commonly arise on the chest, shoulders, back, and earlobes. Although complete cure remains elusive, multimodal therapy—particularly intralesional corticosteroids, judicious surgery with adjuvant radiation or medication, and laser therapy—can achieve significant improvement and acceptable recurrence rates. The physical symptoms of pain and pruritus, combined with profound emotional and social consequences, underscore that keloids are a serious medical condition, not merely a cosmetic issue. Early intervention, realistic expectations, and psychological support are essential components of management. Individuals living with keloids are encouraged to consult dermatologists or plastic surgeons experienced in keloid management.
A Message of Hope When Money Is Small
Accepting my keloids was the most expensive treatment I ever paid for—and the most healing. Here is what I have learned after years of crying and finally choosing to live:
- Your keloids do not reduce your worth
A cow with a mark on its back still gives the same sweet milk. You are still fearfully and wonderfully made.
- Get to know your own body
Touch your keloids gently. Rub shea butter or coconut oil every night. Watch how they soften a little. This small act tells your heart: “This skin is mine, and I will care for it.”
- Cover only if YOU want to
Some days I am learning to wear V-shaped shirts, some days I wear round-shaped shirts. Both choices are okay. The power returns when you decide, not when fear decides for you.
- Speak your truth out loud
When someone asks, “What is that?” I now smile and say, “It’s called a keloid. My skin heals big. I am healthy, just different.” Most people nod and say “Pole” or “Sorry.” The conversation ends there. The shame ends there.
- Find your small circle
One friend, one cousin, one pastor, one teacher who sees YOU and not the scar. Hold them close. They remind you who you really are when the mirror lies.
You can still dream every dream
I have keloids, and I finished school.
I have keloids, and I fell in love.
I have keloids, and I am happy
Though I am still learning to dance at weddings with my chest half-open.
Or wear that bikini at the beach.
I realised the keloid did not stop my life. Shame almost did.
To everyone reading this, if you have keloids:
Breathe. You are beautiful today, exactly as you are. Keep hoping for treatment when money comes, but start healing your heart right now. It is free, and it works.
If you love someone with keloids, please stop saying, “It will go if you rub garlic” or aloe vera.” Just say, “I see you, and you are enough.”
And if you have never had a keloid, the next time you see one of us, offer the small gift of a normal glance and a kind smile. That tiny moment can be medicine too.
I still carry my keloids.
But they no longer carry me. With love from your sister in this journey,
One proud African woman choosing joy over shame, every single day.
I am a work in progress. I am not there yet, but I am not there anymore
Yours truly, the Keloid Girl
With all my love, and all my raised, shiny, perfect imperfect skin