Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 4: Seeking Medical Care
• Part 2 of 4: Treating Keloid Scars at Home
• Part 3 of 4: Keloid Scar Prevention
• Part 4 of 4: Information about Keloid Scars
• Warnings

Keloid scars are an overgrowth of connective tissue that forms at the site of damage to the skin. Keloid scars are not dangerous to health, but most people seek to get rid of this cosmetic defect. Keloid scars are very difficult to heal, so try your best to prevent them from forming. However, once a keloid scar has appeared, there are a number of medical procedures aimed at reducing or removing the keloid scars.

Steps

Part 1 of 4: Seeking Medical Care

1. 1 Talk to your doctor about steroid use or cortisone injections. These injections are injected directly into the keloid every four to eight weeks. As a rule, several procedures are required. As a result of the treatment, the scar becomes smoother and flatter. However, sometimes this procedure leads to darkening of the scar.
   • Interferon injections are also effective in treating keloid scars. Find out more about this treatment with your doctor.
2. 2 Ask your doctor about cryotherapy. This method has been used for a long time and quite successfully for the treatment of keloid scars. With cryotherapy, the affected area is frozen with liquid nitrogen. This procedure only takes a few minutes and can be done in your doctor's office. Several stages of cryotherapy may be required.
3. 3 Ask your doctor about laser therapy. This method began to be applied not so long ago and its effectiveness has not yet been fully studied. However, many positive examples testify to the effectiveness of this method. Currently, various types of laser exposure are widely used to treat all types of keloid scars. Ask your dermatologist about this treatment.
4. 4 Consider surgical removal of keloid scars. Surgical excision of keloid scars by itself is ineffective, as it quickly leads to relapse. However, in some cases, this method can give positive results.
   • If you have had your keloid scar removed by surgery, be sure to follow your healthcare provider's recommendations to prevent new scarring from forming.
5. 5 Talk to your doctor about radiation therapy. Of course, this method should only be used in extreme cases, since this method has many contraindications. However, radiation therapy has been used effectively for a long time to treat keloid scars, often in combination with surgery or other treatments. Despite the groundless claims that radiation therapy promotes aggressive tumor growth, recent studies have shown that the method is reasonably safe if appropriate precautions are taken.
   • Radiotherapy treatments are usually performed on an outpatient basis in a local hospital under the supervision of a qualified radiologist.

Part 2 of 4: Treating Keloid Scars at Home

1. 1 Be careful when using home remedies for keloid scars. Safe methods include silicone pads and wound healing agents. Never try to remove a keloid scar at home using methods that will traumatize the skin. This can not only aggravate the condition of the keloid scar, but also increase the risk of infection.
2. 2 Use vitamin E. Vitamin E heals wounds, prevents keloid scars from forming and reduces their size if they do. Use vitamin E oil or cream. Apply your choice to the scar twice a day, morning and evening, for 2-3 months.
   • You can buy Vitamin E at health food stores or pharmacies.
   • You can also purchase vitamin E capsules and use their contents to heal scars. You can use each capsule several times.
3. 3 Use silicone plates to treat keloid scars. Soft plates made of compacted silicone gel that are attached to the scars significantly improve their appearance and help smooth them. Silicone plates are glued to the damaged area or to an existing keloid scar for 10 hours a day for several months.
   • "ScarAway" silicone plates are available at most pharmacies or online stores.
4. 4 Use a safe, effective over-the-counter ointment for keloid scars. There are a large number of ointments for the treatment of keloid scars. The best treatment for scars is with drugs that use silicone as the main active ingredient. Purchase an ointment to treat scars and keloids and use as directed.

Part 3 of 4: Keloid Scar Prevention

1. 1 Pay attention to the need for preventive measures. The best way to manage keloid scars is to do whatever you can to prevent them from occurring. People who already have or are prone to keloids should take precautions with skin injuries to prevent keloids from forming.
2. 2 Take proper care of your skin to prevent infection and scarring. Pay attention to even minor injuries and take appropriate measures to heal the wound. Use an antibiotic ointment if you have an open wound. Change your bandage regularly.
   • Wear loose clothing to avoid irritation or rubbing of clothing against the wound.
   • The silicone plates mentioned above are a fairly effective remedy that can be an excellent preventive step for the appearance of keloid scars.
3. 3 Protect yourself from injury if you are prone to keloid scars. Piercings and tattoos can lead to keloid scars in some cases. If you have previously had keloid scars or one of your relatives had an overgrowth of connective tissue that forms at the site of damage to the skin, then give up piercings and tattoos. Consult your doctor if necessary.

Part 4 of 4: Information about Keloid Scars

1. 1 Learn about keloid scar formation. An overgrowth of connective tissue that forms at the site of damage to the skin can appear in any part of the body. Excess collagen production leads to excess scar tissue. A keloid scar can form at the site of any, even minor injury. It could be a common pimple or insect bite. More often, a keloid scar becomes a consequence of the operation.
   • Keloid scar growth usually begins 13 months after the wound heals, and can continue for weeks or even months.
   • Ear piercings and tattoos can lead to keloid scarring in some cases.
2. 2 Learn what keloid scars look like. Externally, keloids are dense tumor-like formations with a smooth, shiny surface. The shape of a keloid scar usually follows the shape of a skin injury, but over time, connective tissue may grow beyond the original site of injury. The color of a keloid scar can range from silvery to red or dark brown.
   • Keloid scars are usually not painful, but can cause itching or burning.
   • Although keloid scars are not a threat to life and health, it is very important to consult your doctor to make sure they are not a more serious skin condition that requires additional treatment.
3. 3 Find out if you are at risk for keloid scars. Some people are more prone to keloid scars than others. If you already have a keloid scar, then the likelihood that another will appear in the event of skin damage is very high. If you are at risk, pay special attention to skin damage to prevent keloid scars.
   • People with darker skin are more prone to keloid scars.
   • The main age group with keloid scars is people under 30 years of age. Scars very often form during adolescence.
   • Pregnant women are more prone to keloid scars.
   • Some people are genetically prone to keloid scars.
4. 4 If you think that a keloid scar is forming at the site of the scar, consult your doctor. Be sure to do this to rule out other possible skin conditions. In some cases, the doctor visually diagnoses a keloid scar. In other cases, a more detailed examination, such as a biopsy, may be required to rule out skin cancer.
   • Do not self-medicate. You will be able to achieve a positive result if you follow your doctor's recommendations. In addition, the earlier you start treatment, the better the prognosis.
   • A skin biopsy is a procedure in which a sample of skin tissue is taken and examined under a microscope. This is an outpatient procedure performed in a doctor's office.

Warnings

• See your doctor if you notice an overgrowth of connective tissue or if any changes appear at the site of the scar. Better to prevent than to cure!