When you get a wound, puncture, burn, or blemish, the injury heals and leaves a scar behind. Most people who get post-injury scars notice that the scars come in different sizes, colors, and textures.
Some are small and smooth, and one can barely see them. On the other hand, some injuries heal and leave behind large scars that are raised, dark in color, and easily noticeable. These are known as keloids.
Keloids form when someone suffers a wound, burn, another kind of injury on the skin and the scar tissue keeps on developing long after the wound heals. If you have one of these on your body, you may be looking for ways to get rid of it and restore the texture and tone of your skin.
However, before we get into keloid treatment, it is essential to know how to differentiate a keloid from other types of scars.
What are the symptoms of keloids? And how do you know that what’s developing on your skin could be a keloid? Below are some of the symptoms of keloids:
- They grow slowly over several months. It may take a while for you to realize that what you have on your skin is not a normal scar.
- A keloid starts as a raised scar that’s purple, red, or pink. Over time, the color gradually begins to darken, and the scar becomes noticeable as it is darker than the rest of the skin.
- Keloids cause pain and itching. If you have a scar that’s always itchy and sore, it could be a keloid.
Now that you know how keloids look and feel like, the next step is to find treatment. Here are the top treatments that have proven effective in permanently getting rid of keloids:
Steroid Injections
If you have small keloids on your body, steroid injections are the best form of treatment to eliminate them. Steroids are anti-inflammatory, and they suppress the inflammation caused by the keloid.
They are useful in getting rid of small scars. During treatment, the doctor will inject the steroids into the scar, and this will gradually diminish the appearance and even out the skin tone and texture.
Topical Treatments
Some topical treatments are specially formulated to eliminate keloids. In most cases, these treatments comprise of silicone sheets or gel, which are applied over the scarred area. The sheets flatten the scar and reduce its appearance. When used consistently, these topical treatments will permanently get rid of the keloids.
Pressure Treatment
Pressure treatment involves applying pressure to the keloid to cut blood flow to the scar. When the scar no longer gets supplies from the body, it will begin to shrink and eventually fade away.
Pressure treatment can be done at home or the doctor’s office depending on the location of the scar.
For example, if you got a keloid on your ear after getting an ear piercing, try to wear clip-on earrings. The pressure applied by the earrings can eventually eliminate the keloid.
Surgery
Surgery is usually used to get rid of larger-than-normal keloids that are not going away after trying all the other forms of treatment. However, after cutting out the keloid, the procedure will leave you with a new scar.
This scar can eventually develop into a keloid as well. However, most doctors will inject steroids into the scar after surgery to reduce the risk of developing another keloid.
DIY Treatments
Some people swear by DIY treatments, but these are most effective in getting rid of small keloids. Additionally, they may take some time to show results. You can try the following DIY treatments before visiting your doctor for professional keloid removal.
- Crush a few cloves of garlic and apply them to the scarred area for fifteen minutes. Research shows that garlic prevents enzymes from feeding the scar and causing tissue buildup and darkening of the skin. Garlic can also help lighten the scar over time.
- Dub raw honey on the keloid and let it sit for fifteen minutes. Repeat this twice daily until you notice an improvement. Honey has anti-inflammatory properties that helps shrink the scarred tissue and fade the scar.
- Cut an onion, squeeze its juice, and apply the liquid over the scar a few times every day. Onions contain flavonol, a compound that speeds healing and reduces pigmentation on the skin.
Keloids can be an eyesore on the skin, but the good news is that you don’t have to live with them forever. There is a wide range of at-home and professional treatments that are effective in eliminating the scar tissue.
DIY treatments are more affordable, but if they don’t produce quick results, you can always visit a doctor for professional advice.