Have you ever thought about the ugly looking scar at the site of a previous accident, reminding you of the unpleasant experience? These embarrassing looking scars are called keloids. You will be surprised to know that you can use home remedies for keloids. Yes, by following simple tips, you can deal with these scars naturally.

The keloid scars are formed on the skin during the healing process by the excess production of a protein called collagen. These scars don’t need treatment and are not harmful. Let us go through this article for the natural ways to get rid of keloids and put those painful memories behind.


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What Are Keloid Scars?

Keloids are the scar tissue that forms around the wound, burn, puncture, or a blemish once it starts healing. Depending upon the skin tone of people, these scars have a dark style for some people.

Your body produces extra scar tissue to protect your skin’s injured area, often called keloid scars. Although chest, shoulders, cheeks, earlobes are some of the common areas affected by keloid scars.

These scars have an irregular shape, smooth surface, and a pink-red mass of tissue with a firm and itchy feeling. Although keloid scars may not need medical attention, it may cause cosmetic concerns.

Causes Of Keloids:

Keloid scarring can be the result of most types of skin injury. These scars can occur in both men and women, and an estimated 10 per cent of the population have keloid scarring. You are prone to keloids if you have a darker skin tone. Some of the other causes are:

  • Burns.
  • Ear piercing.
  • Scars from chickenpox.
  • Acne scars.
  • Scratches.
  • Vaccinated skin areas.
  • Surgical incidion area.

If one or both of your parents have keloids, then the likeliness of you getting it increases due to the genetic component. According to a study, determining who develops keloids and who doesn’t depend upon a gene called AHNAK. The people who have this gene are more likely to get a keloid scar.

The following risk factors can be the reason for the occurrence of keloids:

  • Pregnancy.
  • People younger than 30 years.
  • Asian descent people.
  • People of Latino descent.

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Home Remedies For Keloids:

1. Honey:

Honey is one of the best natural home remedies for keloids. It has anti-inflammatory properties that help eliminate the dead cells in the affected area. Applying honey to the affected area speeds up the healing process by enhancing blood circulation (1).

Ingredients:

  1. Raw honey (organic).
  2. Small cotton ball.

Application:

  • Take a cotton ball and apply raw honey to the affected area.
  • Let it stay there for 20 to 30 minutes.
  • You can rinse off the honey after some time as it can get sticky.
  • Reapply honey at least two to three times a day for significant results.

2. Aspirin:

Applying aspirin topically is one of the best keloids remedies at home. The exfoliating and anti-inflammatory properties of aspirin help reduce the scar-promoting cells keeping the keloids under control. It also helps reduce the size and pigmentation of these scars (2).

Note: Aspirin is one of the remedies that need to be taken under a physician’s guidance.

Ingredients:

  1. Three to four aspirin tablets.
  2. Water.

Application:

  • Take three to four tablets and crush them thoroughly.
  • Take a small bowl and mix the powder with enough water to form a paste.
  • Apply the smooth paste on the affected area.
  • Rinse off the paste after 20 to 30 minutes.
  • You can use this remedy every other day for significant results.

3. Apple Cider vinegar:

Apple cider vinegar’s exfoliation and astringent properties make it one of the best and comfortable keloid natural treatments. It also helps reduce the size of keloids along with minimizing the redness.

Ingredients:

  1. Water.
  2. Apple cider vinegar.

Application:

  • Take a small bowl and mix equal amounts of water and apple cider vinegar.
  • Apply the liquid onto the affected area.
  • Rinse it off after letting it stay for 20 to 30 minutes.

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4. Garlic:

One of the reasons responsible for keloid scar enlargement is fibroblast proliferation. Garlic is a natural remedy for keloid scars that reduces the pigment buildup by blocking the enzymes accountable for keloids (3).

Ingredients:

  1. Two to three cloves of garlic.

Application:

  • Crush the garlic cloves thoroughly.
  • Apply the paste on the scars and leave it for 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Rinse off with warm water.
  • You can use this remedy two times a day till you get significant results.

Caution: If you have any skin irritation by using garlic, stop using it immediately.

5. Onion:

Onion in the form of juice or extract makes it one of the best home remedies for keloids. A few years back, a study shows the effectiveness of onion in reducing keloid scars (4).

Ingredients:

  1. One onion.
  2. Cotton.
  3. Gauze.

Application:

  • Slice the onion into small pieces.
  • Place the sliced onions into a smooth cloth and squeeze out the juice.
  • Take some cotton and apply the juice on the affected area and leave it until it becomes dry.
  • You can use this juice for three to four times a day.

6. Vitamin E Oil:

Vitamin E plays a vital role in reducing the formation of extra scar tissue on the skin. A study shows that the topical application of Vitamin E has improved the healing potential in kids and reduced keloids’ formation (5).

Although there is little research that supports the positive effect of utilizing vitamin E oil for keloid scars, ingesting it in food may help your body in many other ways.

Medical Treatments For Keloids:

1. Creams:

Like many home remedies like onion or garlic, a cream derived from vitamin A or retinol has proven to be an effective treatment for keloids at home (6).

The products that have lanolin or petrolatum as ingredients tend to lighten the appearance of the scar.

Following the directions mentioned in the product is essential to achieve the desired results.

2. Silicone Gel Sheet:

Many doctors recommend a silicone gel sheet as a go-to treatment for keloids. These sheets can effectively treat the scars similar to retinoid creams (7). Follow the instructions of the doctor when you want to use these sheets.

Silicone helps shrink the keloids formed as well as prevent the formation of them in the first place. It is easy to use and doesn’t cause any adverse effects on your skin. There is a confirmed study to prove the same (8).

3. Steroid Injection:

Steroids help reduce the scar tissue beneath the skin by breaking the bonds between collagen fibers. The anti-inflammatory properties of steroids reduce swelling, itching, tenderness, and redness in the affected area.

Generally, this kind of treatment is done in a dermatologist’s office, which helps reduce the size of keloids significantly.

Steroid therapy, when combined with surgery, works best for the removal of newer keloids to eliminate the scar (9).

See More: How to Treat Ear Infection At Home

Preventive Tips To Avoid Keloids:

By following specific precautionary measures, you can prevent the formation of keloid scars. And also avoid the increment of the wounds even further:

  • When you are wounded, apply a small amount of petroleum jelly on the wound and cover it with gauze so that there is pressure applied evenly.
  • Make sure you don’t leave the scar to heal on its own. Treat them as soon as possible.
  • If you are a person prone to keloids, you should avoid getting any body piercings, tattoos.
  • Try to avoid surgery for cosmetic purposes, as surgery may enhance the formation of keloid scars.
  • If you are a person who is prone to acne, try to avoid popping them. If you pop your pimples, the inflammation caused by them may result in keloid scars.

The list of effective home remedies for keloid scars shows the desired results when followed consistently and religiously. Since the keloid scars may take a while to get rid of, you need to make sure you pick a home remedy that you will follow continuously.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article are suggestions and not a replacement for medical advice. The website is not responsible for the side effects any of the remedies may cause. You can consult a doctor before using anything new onto your skin.

F.A.Qs:

1. Are Keloids Contagious?

Ans: Although several risk factors cause keloid scars in people, keloids are not contagious and cannot pass onto the other person by touching.

2. Can Keloid Scars Be Dangerous?

Ans: Other than occasional discomfort, keloid scars are usually not dangerous. They may sometimes cause irritation and itching when it causes friction from clothes.

3. Is There a Possibility to Avoid the Formation of Keloid Scars?

Ans: If you are a person prone to keloid formation, then taking a few precautions can reduce these scars’ occurrence.

  • Make sure you use any of the home remedies mentioned in this article once the wound heals.
  • You can also apply a cream or silicone gel sheets that are readily available online.
Saanvi

About Saanvi

Saanvi Sharma is an excellent web content writer in health and nutrition. Her expertise in the subject stems from in-depth research and knowledge that she gained over the years. Her interest in science coupled with a bachelor's degree in biotechnology proves as an added advantage and further adds value to her writing. She is highly interested in science, thus writing quality content became her virtue.
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