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Overview
Keloid also called keloid disorder, is a kind of abnormal scar, which is caused by the overgrowth of granulation tissue. There is a surprising fact that people of sub-Saharan African are at a higher risk of keloid scars than the European. This issue can happen to every part of your body, including the face, hands, stomach, legs, etc. Although keloid scars are not dangerous, they make you look ugly. Therefore, it is essential to find out a useful treatment for this skin problem. So, how to get rid of keloid scars on the face and body fast and naturally? This article will help you answer this question. Continue reading to understand more.
- Top 26 natural cures for scars removal
- Top 23 most effective treatments for keloids
- Top 16 worth-trying tips to get beautiful skin (This article was medically reviewed/fact checked by Sarah Brewer MSc, MA (Cantab), MB, BChir, RNutr, MBANT, CNHC)
17 Unexpected Ways To Get Rid Of Keloid Scars On Face & Body
The recipes we've focused on are traditional home remedies, so always consult your doctor and check out your health condition regularly to know if a remedy is working for you.
I. What Are Keloid Scars?
Keloid scars are tough heaped-up scars with different shapes and colors. Most of the time, they are pink or purple and smooth. Unlike usual scars, keloids do not disappear but enlarge over time. They tend to happen mostly in highly pigmented people, such as African Americans or Hispanics. The upper arm and back, sternum, earlobes, and back of the neck are more vulnerable to keloid scars, in comparison with other parts.
Many reasons are leading to the appearance of keloid scars, including:
- Repeat skin trauma
- Skin and muscle tension
- Infection at the wound
- Foreign bodies in wounds
- Genetic component
II. Foods To Eat For Keloid Scar Healing
1. Beans
Bean can assist your body in producing an anti-aging substance called hyaluronic acid, which can help you fight against keloids[1]. You are advised to consume two tablespoons of beans per day by eating bread, butter beans, etc.
2. Red Vegetables And Fruits
The fruits and vegetables with red color are rich sources of collagen; so they help to increase the elastin of your skin and protect it from the damage of environmental factors. Also, lycopene in these foods can act as a natural sunscreen to prevent the harmful effects of UV rays and sun exposure. They are often tomatoes, peppers, beets, etc.
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3. Vitamin C
Vitamin C can help to increase collagen production and boost your immune system[2] [3]. Therefore, it protects your body from bacteria and enables you to recover from wounds faster. The faster the injury is healed, the less keloid it forms on your skin. For these reasons, try to eat more citrus foods such as lemons, oranges, and strawberries to provide your body with enough amount of vitamin C to maintain a healthy body and a good appearance.
4. Dark Green Vegetables
These vegetables are also significant sources of collagen, which plays an essential role in maintaining smooth and bright skin. They contain lutein, an antioxidant to help you lower the risk of keloid scars. Therefore, do not hesitate to add more spinach, kale, and cabbage to your daily diet.
Other foods such as tuna, salmon, soy milk, and tofu are also demonstrated to be right on how to get rid of keloid scars. Remember to consume the above-recommended foods usually to boost the keloid healing process.
III. How-To Tips
1. Constantly Press
Continually pressing on the keloids will help to flatten the blood vessels and soften the scars. Also, it helps slow down the development of excessive scar tissues and prevent the enlargement of the scars.
2. Treat The Wounds As Soon As Possible
You need to keep the injuries clean all the time by washing them with mild cleansers and cold water. If you do not keep the wounds clean, they will become infectious and begin to form keloid scars. Also, avoid using harsh and irritating cleansers to prevent further damage to your skin.
3. Hydrate The Wound
Moisturizing the wound is useful for preventing the dryness and reopening. Also, when the wound is hydrated, the feeling of irritation will be soothed. Moreover, it helps nourish your skin cells to recover from injuries faster and lessens the risk of keloid formation.
4. Be Careful With Acne And Acne Scars
When you have acne, remember to never pop the spots and strictly follow an acne skin care schedule. Dermatologists claimed that many bacteria and germs would enter your acne spots when you tried to pop it. These bacteria will worsen your inflammation and make your acne more and more severe. At a simple level, it can cause acne scars. However, when you pop the pimples at the same place too many times, the formation of keloid scars is unavoidable.
5. Keep Away From Cosmetic Surgery
Cosmetic surgeries are not compulsory; so try to keep away from them altogether. Most of the time, operations cause keloid scars, and the cosmetic one is not an exception. Especially if you are prone to keloid because of genetic factors, a keloid scar after surgery is evident.
6. Do Not Pick The Keloid Scars
Many people tend to pick at the scars on their skin; however, this is a bad habit that can cause infection and keloid scar formation. Therefore, leave your wound alone and stop touching it to remove the scar without medication or surgery gradually.
7. Wear Sunscreen
As we presented above, highly pigmented people are at a higher risk of keloid scars, so it is necessary to wear sunscreen before going out to prevent the pigmentation. Besides, choose a sun lotion with SPF of more than 30 and apply it whenever you have to go out to keep your skin glowing and radiant.
IV. Home Remedies
1. Lemon For Keloid Scars
Lemon can act as a natural antioxidant, which can help heal the keloid scars very fast. Vitamin C in fresh lemon juice makes it one of the best ingredients on how to get rid of keloid scars. Applying the lemon juice continuously in a few weeks will help to not only remove the keloid scar but also whiten your skin[4] [5]. Here are the directions:
Thing you need
- A lemon
How to do
- Squeeze the lemon to take the juice
- Apply lemon juice to the keloid scar
- Let it stay until dry naturally
- Wash it off with fresh water and dry your skin
- You should use this remedy several times per day to get the best result.
2. Baking Soda
Baking soda works as an abrasive agent to keep your skin clean. It additionally helps to reduce swelling and soothe your affected skin area[6] [7]. When combined with hydrogen peroxide, it can help to both remove the keloid and promote the growth of new cells; thereby, it helps nourish your skin after treating the disease.
Things you need
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- 3 teaspoons of 3% hydrogen peroxide
- A cotton ball
How to do
- Mix baking soda with hydrogen peroxide to get a smooth paste
- Apply this mixture to your keloids using the cotton ball
- Leave it on for 20 minutes
- Wash it off with lukewarm water
- Do this process twice per day to get rid of keloid scars as soon as possible.
3. Honey
People believe that honey is a perfect ingredient for many kinds of skin diseases, including keloid scars. It helps to exfoliate and remove the dead skin cells from your skin while increasing the blood circulation to brighten your skin. Besides, it provides your skin with enough nutrients to heal diseases[8]. If you apply honey to the keloids regularly, it will soften the scars and narrow them down gradually.
Here is the way on how to use honey to remove keloid scars:
Thing you need
- Some fresh honey
How to do
- Directly apply honey to the keloid scars
- Gently massage them for a few minutes
- Leave it on for about half an hour
- Wash it off with lukewarm water
- Follow these directions twice per day in some weeks until you see the improvement
4. Aloe Vera Gel
Thanks to the antibacterial and antiseptic properties, aloe vera gel can help to heal the keloid scars very fast and effectively at the initial stage[9]. Plus, it helps to soothe the irritation and redness caused by a keloid scar. Furthermore, applying aloe vera mask will nourish your skin and brighten it after treating keloid scars.
Thing you need
- An aloe vera leaf
How to do
- Cut the aloe vera leaf into small pieces and extract the gel
- Apply the gel to the keloid scars after cleansing them
- Let it stay for about half an hour or through the night
- The aloe vera gel will absorb completely into your skin, so you do not need to wash off
- Remember to apply this remedy twice daily to achieve the desired result.
5. Onion Juice
Onion juice is an excellent ingredient for keloid scar treatment. Scientists pointed out that onion may help to reduce the color and size of keloids and hypertrophic scars[10]. Moreover, it helps increase the amount of collagen production to maintain your skin's smooth. In spite of its pungent smell, onion is said to be good for not only your appearance but also your overall health.
Things you need
- An onion
- 3 drops of vitamin E
How to do
- Crush onion to take the juice
- Combine onion juice with vitamin E oil
- Apply the mixture to the affected area after cleansing it thoroughly with water and mild soap
- Combine with massaging your skin gently for one minute
- Let it stay until dry naturally
- Apply this remedy thrice per day until the keloid scars are faded.
V. How To Prevent Them From Reoccurring
The easiest way to prevent the recurrence of keloid scars is to keep the wound clean. In other words, you have to protect your wounds from bacteria and foreign bodies, causing inflammation. Along with that, if you are prone to keloid scars because of genetic elements or family connection, you need to avoid further risks from piercings or tattoos. Highly pigmented people should avert piercings or tattoos entirely because they are at the highest rate of keloid recurrence, up to 50 percent.
VI. Frequently Asked Questions
1. Are Keloid Scars Different From Hypertrophic Scars?
In general, keloid scars are similar to hypertrophic scars. However, the keloid continues to grow beyond the place of the original one, while the hypertrophic scar does not. This is the only difference between these two kinds of scars.
2. Is Keloid A Contagious Disease?
The answer is no. The keloids cannot transfer from one to the others. It is caused by factors such as wound, surgery, etc.
Above is all useful information about the effective ways to fade away keloid scar on the face and body fast at home. We have to say that this is a long-term process, so you need to be patient while applying those remedies. If you have any questions or other methods on how to get rid of keloid scars, please share with us by commenting under this article.
