The Keloid Issue - magazine cover

student - Sahar Arshad

supervisor - Dr Tanya Shaw

My project is a science and culture magazine disguised in the skin of a fun flashy women’s editorial magazine. The Shaw lab, where I spent my time observing throughout the module, focuses on skin scarring and wound healing. I focused my science communication project mainly on the causes and reasons for the growth and sensations of keloid scars: focusing on both the science and research being conducted to study it and the personal difficulties it brings. The eye-catching pages of the magazine consist of scientific research articles, exploring how deregulation of the extracellular matrix in dermis fibroblast cells and how the differences between skin of the face and the body can lead to the development of keloids. It’s a different take on your typical science magazine, one that can deliver scientific information to the audience and, as well as feel human in an attempt to normalize keloid scars and help those suffering feel less alone. The hope is that in this way, this piece of science communication will not deter the audience and will allow them to gain a deeper understanding into what molecules and mechanisms lead to keloid scars and what they can expect for the future of their treatment.