Acquired Abnormality
keloid Audio
ke·loid [ kee-loyd ]
Subclass of:
Collagen Diseases; Cicatrix
Etymology:
Greek kele = tumor or swelling + eidos = resemblance
Definitions related to keloid:
  • A sharply elevated, irregularly shaped, progressively enlarging scar resulting from formation of excessive amounts of collagen in the dermis during connective tissue repair. It is differentiated from a hypertrophic scar (CICATRIX, HYPERTROPHIC) in that the former does not spread to surrounding tissues.
    NLM Medical Subject Headings
    U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2025
  • A thick, irregular scar caused by excessive tissue growth at the site of an incision or wound.
    NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • An irregularly shaped, elevated mark on the skin caused by deposits of excessive amounts of collagen during wound healing. It extends beyond the original boundaries of the wound and may enlarge progressively.
    NCI
    U.S. National Cancer Institute, 2021
  • An unusually hard or thick scar that forms after surgery or an injury.
    Harvard Dictionary of Health Terms
    Harvard Medical Publishing, 2011
  • (keloid skin disorder) Progressively enlarging scar resulting from formation of excessive amounts of collagen in the dermis during connective tissue repair; spreads to surrounding tissues.
    CRISP Thesaurus
    National Institutes of Health, 2006
  • Keloids are smooth overgrowths of fibroblastic tissue that arise in an area of injury (eg, lacerations, surgical scars, truncal acne) or, occasionally, spontaneously.
    Merck Manuals
    Merck & Co., Inc., 2025
  • A keloid is an abnormal proliferation of scar tissue that forms at the site of cutaneous injury (eg, on the site of a surgical incision or trauma); it does not regress and grows beyond the original margins of the scar. Keloids should not be confused with hypertrophic scars, which are raised scars that do not grow beyond the boundaries of...
    Medscape
    WebMD, 2025
  • A keloid is an abnormal form of scarring (a fibroproliferative disorder); it is not associated with maturation, regression, or contraction.
    Epocrates
    Athenahealth, Inc., 2019
  • Keloid, benign tumour and chronic skin disorder in which excessive scar tissue (mainly collagen) forms a smooth rubbery growth over, and often larger than, the original wound. Keloids are difficult to treat, and though they can form on any part of the body, they most commonly are found on the...
    Encyclopedia Britannica
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc., 2025
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