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Self teaching module for the influence of culture and pigment on skin conditions in children

Category 2: Exaggerated Cutaneous Reaction Patterns to Injury and Inflammation

Photo 7: Mesenchymal Reactions: Keloid

Keloids and hypertrophic scars result from exaggerated mesenchymal responses and are very common in individuals of Asian, African and Hispanic background. This photo illustrates a keloid at a site of ear piercing. There is anecdotal evidence that infants are not as likely to form keloids. It is a very common practice in many ethnic groups to do ear piercing in early infancy which may help to avoid keloid formation.