13 Ways To Treat Your Keloid Scars

Is the region around your favorite tattoo or body piercing starting to develop into a bumpy keloid? Although keloid scars are mostly benign in nature, you may be wondering how to lighten these scars, flatten them or get rid of them.

Read on to know all about keloid scars. Also, if you don’t like how they look, then here’s all that you can do to treat them.

Highlights:

• What Is A Keloid?
• Why Do People Get Keloids?
• How To Treat A Keloid Scar?
• How Do You Stop A Keloid From Growing?
• What Happens If You Pop A Keloid Yourself?
• How Long Will It Take For The Keloid To Disappear?

What Is A Keloid?

A keloid is a rather unusual kind of scar tissue. It appears as a raised, fleshy mass on the skin, which usually exceeds the size of the original injury or trauma which had led to keloid formation. [1] The keloid scar may be of the same color as your skin or slightly darker. Some keloids may be red or pinkish in colour. [2]

Keloids are only an overgrowth of the fibrous tissue and are not filled with any fluids such as blood or pus. They are usually harmless, except for pain and itchiness in some cases. Keloids over joints can cause difficulty in movement. They normally do not lead to cancer or malignancy. [3]

Your dermatologist can diagnose whether the firm, rubbery growth over your scar is a keloid or not, by examining it physically. Your doctor may also perform a microscopic examination or biopsy to rule out other complications.

Why Do People Get Keloids?

The mechanism behind the formation of keloids is not completely understood. Formation of scars is a part of the natural wound healing process. But an excessive production of skin components such as collagen during wound healing, can lead to the formation of a keloid scar. A few reasons why people get keloids are:

• Any prior assault to the skin in the form of cuts, burns, insect bites, surgery or even popped pimples may lead to the formation of keloids.
• Ear-piercing is one of the most common causes of keloid formation on the earlobe.
• Tattooing and body piercing can also cause keloids if you are susceptible to it.
• You may be genetically predisposed to getting keloids too. So,if someone in your family is prone to keloids, there is a significant chance that you might get them too.
• Keloids may occur in both men and women, and tend to be more common in young people between the age group of 10 to 30 years.
• People of African, Latin-American or Asian descent are more likely to get keloids than those of the Caucasian origin.
• Hormonal imbalances such as during puberty, pregnancy, or disorders like hyperthyroidism can also make you more susceptible to developing keloid scars.
• Keloids may develop anywhere on your body, but they are more common in areas such as the chest, shoulders, neck and around the pubic region.

How To Treat A Keloid Scar?

Keloids grow very slowly, but unlike other scars they do not retract or heal on their own. Your doctor can suggest a treatment strategy depending on whether you just want to reduce the size of the scar or want relief from the pain and itchiness. Keloids may return even after treatment. A combination of two or more treatment methods may help keep keloids at bay. [4]

A. Medical Treatments

1. Pressure Treatment

Compression dressing around the keloid scar or pressure earrings applied continuously for a period of 6 to 12 months can shrink a keloid significantly by reducing blood flow to the affected area. This is especially effective post a keloid surgery to prevent them from returning.

2. Silicone Sheets or Gels

Wearing silicone sheets or gels over a keloid scar can help flatten them in most patients. The silicone sheets have to be worn for 12 to 16 hours everyday for months together which may be a little uncomfortable. This method works better when applied in combination with other compression dressings.

3. Corticosteroid Injections

Injections of corticosteroids such as triamcinolone acetonide can help reduce the size of the keloid scar, when applied at an interval of around 4 weeks. [5] These injections may be mildly painful and the treated area may still have some marks remaining.

4. Cryotherapy

Liquid nitrogen is used to freeze the keloid while leaving the underlying skin unharmed. This therapy is useful in treating smaller keloids and has to be repeated once every month for 3 or more times to get significant results.

5. Laser Therapy

Pulsed dye laser treatment can flatten out your keloid in a safe and almost painless way when performed by an expert. You should however keep in mind that laser treatment of keloids may cause some discoloration of the skin.

6. Ligature

This should be done strictly under the supervision of a dermatologist. A surgical thread is tied around the keloid scar every 2 to 3 weeks. The thread will slowly slice off the keloid tissue.

7. Surgical Procedures

A keloid may be removed by surgical incision performed by a surgeon. But there is a high risk of the keloid returning, often bigger in size than the original scar. Therefore, post surgery you may need to take steroid injections or radiation therapy to prevent the keloid from returning.

8. Ointments

5% Imiquimod cream used on alternate nights for around 2 months can prevent the return of a keloid after surgery. [6] Some people may experience skin darkening or itchiness with this cream.

Ointments with prescription retinoids such as tretinoin and isotretinoin can also be used to treat keloids. Emollients with vitamin E are often used to treat scars but are not much effective against keloids.

B. Home Remedies

In case you do not want to risk a surgery nor prefer other medical treatments, you can try these simple solutions at home to reduce the pain or itchiness of your keloid scar.

1. Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)

ACV is an astringent and natural exfoliant which prevents the accumulation of dead skin cells. Dilute ACV in equal amounts of water and apply it on your scar using a cotton ball. Allow it to dry for 30 minutes. Rinse with cold water. You should do this daily for around a month to get good results.

2. Garlic Oil

This prevents proliferation of the fibrous tissue which forms keloids and also assists in healing. You can either use freshly crushed garlic cloves or garlic oil to apply over your scar. Leave it on for 15 - 20 minutes, before rinsing off with lukewarm water. Repeat twice daily for best results.

3. Honey

Honey is not only a great exfoliator but also helps soothe the scar tissue. Tualang honey is particularly useful in reducing keloids, as it prevents the excess growth of scar tissue. [7] Gently massage fresh honey over your scar and let it sit for around 40 minutes before rinsing it off with water.

4. Onion Juice

Onions have antioxidants and flavonoids that can help ease inflammation and pain in a scar. Squeeze out the juice of one chopped onion and apply it directly on your scar. Repeating this treatment 3 to 4 times daily may help heal your scar significantly within a few days.

5. Aspirin paste

This treatment can lighten the keloid scar as well as reduce its size. Depending on the size of your scar, crush a few aspirin tablets and make a paste with them in water. Apply this on your scar daily and leave it on for a couple of hours, till you get the desired effect.

How Do You Stop A Keloid From Growing?

• If you are predisposed to keloid formation, then it is best to avoid cosmetic surgical procedures, tattooing, body piercing etc.
• In case of unavoidable injuries, you should start taking care of the wounded area at the earliest possible to speed up the healing process. Clean the wound regularly, keep it covered in a bandage dressing preferably using compression, and apply petroleum jelly to keep the area moisturised. [8]
• In case you have to undergo a surgery, consult with your doctor for non-invasive or minimally invasive procedures.

What Happens If You Pop A Keloid Yourself?

A keloid is not a pimple that you can pop by yourself! In fact, experts suggest not to try such things, as you might risk getting an infection and make the situation worse. You can either go for one of the several home remedies suggested above or consult your dermatologist for a treatment option that best suits your condition.

How Long Will It Take For The Keloid To Disappear?

Dr. Harish Koutam, chief dermatologist at SkinKraft Laboratories, says, "Keloids cannot be completely removed. The time taken to reduce it will depend on how big the keloid is and what treatment procedure you have opted for."
 For eg., if you have undergone surgical excision of the keloid bump, it will be gone in one go. But it might return sooner or later if not followed by other treatments. Procedures such as laser therapy or steroid injections will take multiple sessions for the scar to diminish completely.

Wrapping Up

Keloids are fleshy overgrowths around your injuries. They usually do not pose any health threats. However, presence of prominent keloids in areas such as your arms, neck or earlobes may not be a pleasing sight. You should ideally consult your doctor and opt for a treatment that works best for you. But keep in mind that keloids are slow to heal and may return post treatment.

Begin By Knowing Your Skin