Upcoming Therapeutic Modalities for the Treatment of Keloids: An Update

Abstract

Introduction: Keloids are benign dermal tumors that generally form by local fibroblast proliferation and excessive collagen production following skin trauma. Several methods have been described for the treatment of keloid, often with suboptimal results and recurrences.

Objective: To update literature that provides information regarding upcoming therapeutic modalities for the treatment of keloids, including lasers, radiofrequency (RF), photodynamic therapy (PDT), and ultraviolet A1 (UVA1) irradiation.

Materials and Methods : A systematic review of the literature was performed for the original articles related to the treatment of keloids. The search terms ‘keloids’ and ‘lasers’ or ‘radiofrequency’ or ‘PDT’ or ‘UVA1’ was entered into a search of the National Library of Medicine’s PubMed Database.

Result: The search returned a total of 188 sources, of which, 26 articles met our inclusion criteria.

Conclusion: Combination approach is superior than solo therapy in the treatment of keloid. However, it is highly desirable that new emerging therapies undergo large-scale studies with long-term follow-up before being recommended conclusively as alternative therapies for the treatment of keloid. Moreover, lack of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) needs to be taken into consideration urgently.