Hypertrophic scars and keloids, and how do they differ?

Prepare for the Tissue Injury, Healing, and Pain Test. Utilize flashcards and multiple-choice questions with hints and explanations. Ensure you're ready for the exam!

Multiple Choice

Hypertrophic scars and keloids, and how do they differ?

The key idea is how scar tissue grows relative to the original wound. Hypertrophic scars are raised but stay within the borders of the original injury; with time and remodeling they often soften and shrink, sometimes improving spontaneously. Keloids, in contrast, extend beyond the wound margins into surrounding skin and tend not to regress on their own, often persisting or enlarging. This difference in growth pattern—within borders versus beyond them—and the tendency to regress for hypertrophic scars explains why the statement describing hypertrophic scars as staying within wound borders and tending to regress is the best answer.

The key idea is how scar tissue grows relative to the original wound. Hypertrophic scars are raised but stay within the borders of the original injury; with time and remodeling they often soften and shrink, sometimes improving spontaneously. Keloids, in contrast, extend beyond the wound margins into surrounding skin and tend not to regress on their own, often persisting or enlarging. This difference in growth pattern—within borders versus beyond them—and the tendency to regress for hypertrophic scars explains why the statement describing hypertrophic scars as staying within wound borders and tending to regress is the best answer.

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