What Are Keloids?
A keloid scar is a raised, thick scar. A keloid, unlike other raised scars, grows significantly larger than the wound that caused it, often much larger than the wound or injury itself. The time it takes for keloid scars to develop makes them special as well. The patient is more likely to acquire excessive scar tissue if the wound takes longer to heal. While a wound will usually heal rather fast, a keloid scar may not show up for several months after the skin was first injured. Once it appears, it has the potential to enlarge and, in some cases, spread over more skin surface area for years.
What are the Causes of Keloid Scars?
Keloid scars develop as a result of excessive collagen deposits, but more research is needed to fully understand this process. The most commonly reported causes of keloids comprise skin burns, acne, chicken pox, ear piercings, scratches, surgical incisions, and vaccination sites. Stress encourages keloid formation by causing dermal distortion and compression, which stimulates proliferation and protein synthesis in wound-healing fibroblastic cells. Hormonal changes, such as being pregnant or having hypertension or a thyroid condition, may increase the likelihood of developing keloid scars.
A keloid scar is benign, non-contagious and usually accompanied by severe itching and even pain sharp, its texture changes over time. Keloids are in the form of firm lesions, rubbery or nodules that are shiny, fibrous and their color varies from pink to flesh or red to dark brown (for black skin). A keloid scar can restrict movement over time.
Keloids can be bothersome due to their appearance, particularly on the face, neck, and hands. 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.
Are Some People More Likely To Get Keloids?
While anybody can develop keloids, some people do appear to have a higher likelihood based on certain factors, including:
Genetics: If somebody in your immediate family has keloids, you’ll also be more likely to get them.
Age: People under 30 are more likely to get keloids compared to older people.
Skin color: Compared to Caucasians, ethnic groups with darker skin tend to have more of these scars.
Location: Areas of the body under tension tend to get more keloids (jaw, chest, earlobes).
Symptoms Of Keloids
Keloid scars can appear as soon as 1 to 3 months, or even a year, after an injury. Keloid scarring has the following characteristics:
- Hyperpigmented or flesh-colored lesion
- Flat surfaced raised scar
- It may be lumpy, rubbery, soft, or rigid
- Painful, tender, and itchy
- As it develops, scar tissue can turn darker
What is the Difference Between Keloid and Hypertrophic Scar?
Although they may appear to be the same, hypertrophic scars and keloids are not the same. Hypertrophic scars are typically raised, but rarely more than 4 mm above the skin, red or pink in color, hard, and pruritic. Unlike keloid scars, hypertrophic scars usually appear 4 to 8 weeks after a wound infection, wound closure with excessive tension, or another traumatic skin injury. This type of scarring does not extend beyond the original wound's boundary. After 2 to 3 years, hypertrophic scarring stabilizes and then resolves on its own.
A keloid is different from a hypertrophic scar. Keloids may develop up to several years after minor injuries and may even form spontaneously on the mid-chest in the absence of any known injury. Keloids are distinguished by continuous growth that extends beyond the boundaries of the initial injury and does not regress.
The stretching of the skin during or after healing promotes the appearance of keloid. It appears due to skin lesions, such as a cut, a burn, a piercing, or a surgical procedure. The tiny lesions caused by acne can cause keloids, giving the impression they appear spontaneously. Parts of the body are most affected, either because they are often more lesions (lobules of ears, lower face), or they are more prone to stretching of the skin (region of sternum, of the shoulders).
What can Dissolve keloids?
Keloid scar removal can be tricky. The healing process is characterized by a balance between the synthesis and hydrolysis of collagen. During the proliferative phase, the rate of intake exceeds that of its collagen lysis. It is input and then lysed in balance during the maturation phase. At this stage, the structural collagen of the scar formed is reorganized by the joint action of the lysis and synthesis, resulting in a mature scar.
What Are The Treatments for Keloid Scar Removal
The effectiveness of the keloid scar treatment on mixed keloids and for hypertrophic scar removal explains the diversity of treatments used today. Keloid scar tissue removal surgery used alone is not recommended because it often worsens the situation.
A partial list of treatments includes:
- Injections
- Intralésionelles injection of corticosteroids delay
- Infiltration of bleomycin
- Infiltration of 5-FU (5-fluorouracil)
- Radiotherapy (with reoperation)
- By external radiotherapy
- Brachytherapy intra-scar
- Corticosteroids
- Cryotherapy
- Continuous compression
- Ear Clips
- Medical compression garment
- Sports clothing used to compress
- Sports underwear
- Wrist band
- Headband earmuff
- Elbow, Knee, Silicone gel plates
- Dermo-repairing gel for keloid scar
- Care by Orthodermie, Laser, CO 2, Pulsed dye, Erbium, etc.
Keloid scar removal requires large pre and post-operative care. Some keloids tend to reappear after removal and can be larger than the original, and there is about a 50% chance of recurrence after surgery. Keloids, on the other hand, are less likely to reappear if surgical removal is combined with other treatments.
The keloid scarring removal before and after differences is quite good. The laser or surgical hypertrophic acne scar removal may be followed by intralesional injections of corticosteroids to treat or prevent the recurrence of the keloids. The suture of the skin plasty includes techniques such as the V and W as ways of reducing dermal tension, which reduces the incidence of recurrence of these lesions after extraction.
Dressings
Dressings can be effective for keloid scarring. Wearing silicone sheets or gels over a keloid scar can help flatten keloids over time. This type of treatment is safe and painless, although some patients have experienced sharp pain for an extended period.
Injectable Steroids
Injectable steroids are used primarily when the scar begins to thicken and when the patient has a history of keloid formation. Series injections with triamcinolone acetonate or other corticosteroids may reduce keloid size, although injections can be quite uncomfortable. The bandages for compression are applied for several months on the keloid. This causes the reduction of the size of the lesion. They work best when used to prevent new lesions.
Cryosurgery
Cryosurgery is an excellent treatment for keloids that occur in small, lightly pigmented skins. It is often combined with monthly injections of cortisone. The use of cryotherapy is limited because it causes skin depigmentation, which is frozen. It also runs the risk of reducing blood circulation underneath. Its effect is a local burn freeze.
Radiation
Radiation can be used for Keloid scar removal, but in very small quantities to not affect internal organs. The ortovoltaica radiation is more penetrating and slightly more effective. No known evidence is there to establish that it may cause some form of cancer after many years of use, but its main drawback is that it is an expensive therapy. Radiation treatments can reduce scar formation if used after surgery, during the time the wound is healing.
Laser Therapy
Therapy with laser is an alternative to conventional surgery for hypertrophic scar treatment. The laser can scale well with the skin surface but does not reduce the whole mass of the keloid. Larger keloids can be flattened by pulsed-dye laser sessions. Using a dye laser has shown better results than a cold laser. New treatments are there too.
Drugs
The use of drugs to treat autoimmune diseases or cancers has shown promise. This includes interferon, 5-fluorouracil and bleomycin. Studies are needed and additional certifications should be done before recommending their widespread use in keloid scar treatment.
How Do you Flatten old Keloid Scars Naturally?
It is essential to take some precautions while trying to get rid of keloid scars at home. Firstly, it is important to ensure that you do not forcefully rub or scratch the scars as this will only worsen the condition.
Plan your diet such that it consists of food that is rich in vitamin E to ensure a speedy recovery from scar tissue. Vitamin E assists the skin in repairing the damage caused by injury by promoting the production of collagen.
This includes food like peppers and tomatoes which are also rich in antioxidants and accelerates the healing of wounds. Cheese and yogurt are known to help heal wounds faster and they prevent the formation of scar tissue.
There are a few natural home treatments you can try in addition to these dietary modifications to help flatten keloid scarring.
Home Remedies to Reduce Keloid Scar
If you don't want to risk surgery or would rather not receive further medical treatments, you can try these simple at-home solutions to decrease the pain or itching of your keloid scar. Even though the at-home treatments suggested below might not completely cure keloids, they might make it easier for you to manage the symptoms. For more information, keep reading.
Lemon Juice
Fresh lemon juice is a great antioxidant and aids in the speedy healing of keloid scar tissue because it is high in vitamin C. Apply a solution of cucumber and lemon juice on your scars to reduce the amount of scar tissue beneath the skin.
What You Have To Do
- Mix equal parts lemon juice and cucumber juice and apply them on keloids.
- Let it sit for 30 minutes and then wash it with warm water.
Regular application of this remedy inhibits keloid scar tissue and repair skin.
Sandalwood Powder
Using sandalwood can be extremely beneficial to flatten keloid scars naturally. The healing properties of sandalwood powder help in getting rid of scars from wounds, blemishes, dark spots, and eczema.
What You Have To Do
- Add a little rose water to sandalwood powder and black gram powder·
- Prepare a smooth paste and use this paste on the affected area.
- Let it sit for 20 minutes. Wash off with lukewarm water later.
- Apply this remedy at least twice a day to help reduce old scars.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is commonly applied to scars with the intention of speeding wound healing and improving the appearance, preventing hypertrophic scarring, and decreasing pruritis. In addition to consuming foods that are rich in vitamin E, applying vitamin E directly to the scars will also help shrink or minimize the scar tissue. Following is a safe and effective treatment for hypertrophic and keloidal scars.
What You Have To Do
- Cut open a capsule and squeeze out the contents onto your palm.
- Apply it to your face or the area that you want to treat.
- You will need to leave it as it is for about 30 minutes or so, and then rinse it off.
Aspirin
Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, aspirin is beneficial in getting rid of keloids. Aspirin can be applied to keloid scars to prevent the formation of fibrous tissues.
What You Have To Do
- Crush three to four aspirin tablets.
- Add some water to the crushed tablets to form a thick, homogeneous paste.
- Apply it to the keloid scar site. Rinse after letting it sit for a couple of hours.
- Repeat once every day for easing itchiness and causing keloids to fade.
Apple Cider Vinegar
As a natural astringent and disinfectant, apple cider vinegar can be helpful for numerous skin concerns. Does apple cider vinegar flatten keloid? It is actively attempting to fix it if you experience a minor stinging sensation (something you can bear). It also soothes irritated skin and helps flatten the keloids and reduces inflammation.
Consistent use of ACV has proven to prevent scar-promoting cells from entering the keloid site and also reduces both pigmentation and size of the keloids. It is simple to notice how it flattens and noticeably splits the keloids after a few days or weeks.
This remedy also soothes irritated skin and reduces any swelling. The simplest method is to mix water and apple cider vinegar and then apply the solution to your scars.
What You Have To Do
- Dilute the vinegar with equal amounts of water.
- And then apply it directly to the scar tissue using a cotton ball.
- Leave it on for 30 minutes and rinse off with cool water.
- Repeat it twice a day for instant results.
Aloe Vera Gel
The wonder gel from aloe vera leaves is a proven solution for practically all skin issues because of its anti-inflammatory and calming qualities. Apply aloe vera on the affected areas to help diminish old scar tissue. It plays a quintessential role in reducing the size of the keloids and also minimizes soreness, and inflammation, and helps in the healing of scar tissue.
What You Have To Do
- Apply the fresh gel from the leaves directly onto the affected scar tissue.
- Leave it on throughout the night.
- To get rid of the keloid, repeat the procedure twice everyday for a month.
Garlic Oil
The topical application of garlic extract is beneficial for the treatment of keloids. Allicin is the predominant bioactive compound in fresh garlic, which prevents excess fibroblast increase that is responsible for the enlargement of keloid scars. Not only does it improve blood circulation in the affected area, but also helps in speeding up the healing process of the keloid.
What You Have To Do
- Apply the garlic oil on the keloid using a cotton ball.
- Let it sit for about 15 minutes. and wash off with water and apply moisturizer.
You can also apply crushed garlic to the scar tissue. Garlic extracts have been found in numerous animal experiments to speed up wound healing and slow down the infection. Therefore, applying garlic may also prevent keloids. Garlic may speed up wound healing and may lessen the chance of scarring. Discontinue use or reduce application time if the garlic burns your skin.
Conclusion
Unless you have an infection, especially one that goes untreated for too long, you can live with the keloid while taking steps to reduce or eliminate keloid scarring completely. Before considering any medical procedures, look into at-home treatments. Moisturizer oils purchased online can help keep the tissue soft. These may be able to reduce the size of the scar without making it worse. Even if they are not treated, keloids have a tendency to shrink and flatten over time.
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