Prevention of keloids

Abstract

Unlike many skin disorders discussed in textbooks, keloids have been described in detail dating back to 3,000 bc.1 The Yoruba tribe of Western Africa recorded their knowledge of keloids in painting and sculpture ten centuries prior to modern times.2 Despite this considerable head start, we have made remarkably little progress since the Yorubas toward understanding keloid etiology. This fundamental ignorance is partially responsible for our current lack of consistently reliable, safe treatment, and prevention measures. © 2010 Springer-Verlag London.