A keloid is a raised, firm scar that grows beyond the boundaries of the original wound as the body overproduces collagen during healing. Unlike an ordinary scar, a keloid keeps expanding, can feel itchy or tender, and does not fade on its own. Keloids are more common in deeper skin tones and family histories.
What a Keloid Actually Is
A keloid forms when the skin's repair process goes into overdrive. After an injury, the body lays down collagen to close the wound. In a keloid, that collagen production keeps going long after the wound has healed, producing a thick, rubbery, often shiny scar that spreads past the original edges of the cut, burn, or piercing.
This is what separates a keloid from a hypertrophic scar. A hypertrophic scar is also raised but stays within the wound's borders and usually softens over time. A keloid ignores those borders, can keep growing for months or years, and rarely flattens without treatment. Keloids can appear anywhere but favor the chest, shoulders, earlobes, upper back, and jawline.
- Grows beyond the original wound edges
- Firm, raised, sometimes shiny or discolored
- May itch, sting, or feel tender
- More common in deeper skin tones and where keloids run in the family
Why Keloids Matter for Tattoo and Scar Removal
If you are prone to keloids, that history shapes every decision about treating your skin. A tattoo placed over or near a keloid-prone area, an old surgical scar, or a piercing site behaves differently than tattooed skin elsewhere. Knowing your tendency toward keloids before treatment lets a physician plan settings, spacing, and expectations more carefully and honestly.
It also matters for setting realistic goals. Removing or fading a tattoo is about breaking down ink; addressing a keloid is about calming an overactive scar. These are related but distinct challenges, and they are exactly the kind of nuance that benefits from a doctor's assessment rather than a one-size-fits-all franchise protocol. At a free consultation, your skin type, scar history, and goals are reviewed before anything is scheduled.
How Laser Eraser Treats Keloids
At Laser Eraser, keloids are not treated with the laser. They are treated with a series of injections placed directly into the scar tissue, spaced several weeks apart, which gradually soften and flatten the keloid and can ease itching or tenderness. Every treatment session is performed by a licensed medical provider, and the plan is built around your skin and your scar history rather than a generic protocol.
We keep expectations honest. Not every keloid responds the same way, keloids can recur, and no responsible provider guarantees a single outcome for every case. What we can promise is a careful evaluation by our physician-led team, including founding physician Dr. Alvaro Alban, who trained at the Institute for Laser Medicine, and a plan built around your skin rather than a template. Consultations are complimentary.
Frequently asked questions
Not always, and no honest provider will promise full removal for every keloid. Keloids are stubborn and can recur. At Laser Eraser, keloids are treated with a series of injections into the scar rather than laser, which can flatten and soften them with realistic, gradual improvement. That evaluation happens at a free consultation before any treatment is planned.
For most people, clinician-administered PicoWay tattoo removal does not cause keloids, but if you are keloid-prone your risk is different. That is exactly why we review your scar and keloid history at your free consultation. A doctor can then tailor settings and spacing and discuss honest expectations for your specific skin.