ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Physiological changes during pregnancy have a significant impact on many organ systems including the skin. Many skin conditions, including keloids are known to worsen during pregnancy. Although worsening of keloids during pregnancy has been reported in the literature, the actual rate and incidence of worsening of phenomenon has not been previously reported.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the rate of worsening of keloid disorder during pregnancy.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: An online survey was launched in November 2011 asking participants to provide answers to questions about their keloids. Female patients were asked about potential impact of pregnancy on their keloids. Descriptive statistics are provided.
RESULTS: As of February 13, 2022, 1886 individuals had participated in this survey, 1715 individuals provided information about their gender, of whom 561 (32.71) were males and 1154 (67.29%) were females. Among female participants, 297 reported that they had developed their first keloid prior to becoming pregnant. Current study aimed to evaluate the relationship between pregnancy and change in the rate of growth or symptomatology of keloids among women (n=297) who had at least one keloid lesion prior to becoming pregnant.
CONCLUSIONS: Although worsening of keloids during pregnancy is widely acknowledged and reported, the rate of worsening of keloids during pregnancy has been unknown. To the author’s knowledge, this is the first systematic review and report of the incidence of worsening of keloids during pregnancy.
Among 273 participants of this study, 57% reported that pregnancy did not impact the rate of growth of their keloids. Twenty-three percent of participants reported minor impact, 11% moderate, and only 8% reported significant worsening of their keloids during pregnancy.