What is a common characteristic of both hypertrophic scars and keloids?

The correct answer highlights that both hypertrophic scars and keloids involve excessive collagen formation. This characteristic is essential in understanding how these scars develop. In the healing process following an injury or surgery, fibroblasts produce collagen to restore tissue integrity. However, in hypertrophic scars and keloids, there is an overproduction of collagen.

Hypertrophic scars remain within the confines of the original wound and may gradually improve over time, still characterized by this excessive collagen. Keloids, on the other hand, can extend beyond the original wound margins and do not typically regress, representing a more pronounced abnormal scarring process.

Recognizing excessive collagen formation as the common characteristic is crucial in both identifying and managing these types of scars, guiding treatment options such as corticosteroid injections, silicone sheets, or laser therapy that target collagen remodeling.