Proceedings of 2nd International Keloid Symposium, Rome, Italy, June 19-21, 2018

Abstract

Medical terminology is a universal scientific language used to accurately describe (as precisely possible) the human body, its components as well as the disease processes.

Correct terminology and proper classification of diseases is at the core of understanding human illnesses. The term “Keloid” was used in 1800 to describe this complex genetic disorder, however, it soon acquired ‘Scar” as a component which still remains in use in 2018.

The term “scar” is defined as “a mark remaining (as on the skin) after injured tissue has healed. Surgical scar and acne scar are correct examples of using this terminology. However, referring to an active pustular acne lesion, as an acne scar will be improper, so will be using the term ‘” scar” in referring to an inflamed surgical wound while it is healing.

Moriz Kaposi, while working at Vienna University in his 1876, in his Lehrbuch der_ Hautkrankheiten (Textbook of Skin Diseases) described “hypertrophische narbe” and also used the term “narbekeloid”, later translated into English as hypertrophic scar and keloid scar.

In dealing with a serious chronic genetic skin disorder that is poorly understood, one that can serious impact a person’s quality of life, using the term “scar” is not only improper use of the term, but most importantly is misleading to the point the most health insurance companies refuse to pay for medical care of the patients, as they consider “treatment of a scar” as a cosmetic procedure.


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