Biomarkers of Keloid Formation: Clinical Applications in Oculoplastic Surger

Keloids and hypertrophic scarring can turn even the most well thought out and precisely performed facial surgery into a postoperative disaster. Given that these scars can cause significant disfiguration, it would be ideal to have a biomarker that could be tested to see if a candidate for elective surgery is at risk of developing keloids. After extensive literature review we found that there are several biomarkers that can be screened for to risk stratify a patients’ likelihood of developing keloids. Some of these biomarkers that are especially telling in regards to patients risks are high levels/ increased activity of rds to patients risks are the HLA-DRB1 gene, SMAD transcription factors, TGF-β, and specific alleles within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) family. The HLA-DRB1gene, SMAD transcription factors, TGF-β, and specific alleles within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) family. While it might not always be practical or cost effective to screen patients for their risk of developing keloid scar in the planning stages of elective surgery, it can certainly help to prevent poor outcomes. Key words: Keloid;Biomarkers; Oculoplastic surgery; Facial surgery; Scarring