Did you grow up with acne problems as a teenager? How about getting serious surgery? Perhaps untreated burns or chickenpox? If you have been in any of these situations, there is a chance that you ended up with keloid scars after the whole ordeal. Keloid scarring takes place as a result of various skin injuries, usually at a fairly young age (typically up to 20 years old). But exactly what is a keloid scar? Healthline helps us clear up the situation by explaining the phenomenon: “When skin is injured, fibrous tissue (called scar tissue) forms over the wound to repair and protect the injury. In some cases, scar tissue grows excessively, forming smooth, hard growths called keloids.” While a keloid scar generally does not cause pain (only if you touch it) or harm to your health and well being, it can pose as an embarrassing aesthetic issue that you won’t be happy living with.

While a keloid scar can greatly resemble a hypertrophic one, the two are not quite the same. When putting keloid vs hypertrophic scar, the latter is visibly redder than the former. In addition to this, a hypertrophic scar vs keloid scar usually takes place just at the level where the skin was injured, but a keloid scar can expand to healthy patches of skin. Symptoms for a keloid scar include a sense of itchiness and reddening of an area of skin tissue, as well as the distinctive bumpy scars. The types of causes are various, ranging from the aftermath of a c section, an infected piercing or tattoo, surgery, acne, and so on. A keloid scar can develop on your nose, ear, chest, arm or anywhere else where an injury took place or the skin was affected. While laser treatment or steroid injection are popular options for keloid scar removal, a procedure like that can cost you quite a lot of money (especially if you live in a big city like NYC). You can also get some keloidal cream like Mederma to reduce scarring, but a keloid scar cream won’t always guarantee success. We like treating health or cosmetic problems in a natural way, so that is why we have created a list of the 11 best tips on how to get rid of keloid scars at home. Try out these keloid scar treatment alternatives for yourself and take before and after pictures to see the difference!

keloid-scar

1. Lavender Oil

Our first option for getting rid of a keloid scar is lavender oil. The wonderful part about this home remedy is that it not only helps you to remove and treat keloid scars, but also to prevent them from reappearing in the future. You can apply it by massaging lavender oil onto the affected area of skin with keloid scars, repeating the process as many times a day as you can (at least five). Whatever you do, make sure to apply this remedy daily in order for it to be affective. It might seem like a lot, but it will have great results in the end.

2. Sandalwood

Another awesome and natural alternative for treating keloid scars is by using sandalwood. It works by being combined with rose water, black gram or even both, and by mixing the ingredients together in order to obtain a paste. Make sure that you use an equal amount of each ingredient for the mixture, afterwards applying it directly to the keloid scar or scars. We recommend that you carry out this home remedy before you go to sleep at night, so you can let the solution sink in for a few hours. When you wake up in the morning, wash it off and repeat the process. Be patient, as it might take a few weeks to fully work.

3. Onion

Who knew that one of the most essential ingredients for tasty home cooked meals would be excellent for getting rid of keloid scars? This is owing to the fact that onions possess antibacterial properties that help stop the keloid scar from spreading, remove it and prevent its reappearance. You will need a blender to get this remedy right, so take an onion and juice it with this appliance. After that, take a clean washcloth and place it in the onion juice, allowing the fabric to absorb it. Gently dab on the keloid scar for at least three times daily for results to start appearing.

4. Aspirin

While this isn’t a home remedy from your refrigerator or pantry, you have to admit that everybody has some aspirin lying around at home. Many reviews support aspirin as an effective remedy for treating a keloid scar, so you should take it into consideration for your case. Crush a few aspirins (three or four should be fine) and mix the powder you have obtained with a bit of water until you get a paste. Apply the paste to the keloid and allow it to dry on its own. If you are consistent and apply the aspirin paste every day, you should be seeing some very pleasing results in no time.

5. Lemon

Lemons are filled with nutrients that work wonders for the human body, so it is natural that they would be a reliable home remedy for getting rid of keloids. Particularly the juice of lemon works efficiently for making them disappear, so squeeze a lemon and use the juice to apply directly on the keloid. Allow it to work its magic for roughly half an hour before washing the area off with water. We recommend that you apply this remedy about two times a day so the keloid will disappear.

6. Aloe Vera

Generally speaking, aloe vera is a wondrous home remedy that works incredibly for more situations than you could ever imagine. When it comes to treating keloids, aloe vera’s skin healing properties kick in to help reduce and eventually remove them. Wash off the area with the keloid so it is clean and extract the gel from an aloe vera leaf. We encourage you to extract the gel yourself, rather than buying aloe vera gel from a store. This remedy should also be repeated two times a day for the keloids to go away.

7. Tea Tree Oil

Aside from lavender oil, there are also a few other oils that work exceptionally for battling keloids. One of the oils that works best is tea tree oil, thanks to the antiseptic properties it possesses. It has been used for quite some time in order to treat various skin conditions, keloids included. For tea tree oil to work for you, you must rub it directly on the keloids for a few minutes and then wash the area off with water. Try to repeat at least once or twice a day so you can enjoy clean and healthy skin.

8. Garlic

Garlic is another way for you to get rid of a keloid scar without leaving the house, as most people have garlic in their pantry for cooking purposes. When it comes to maintaining good health, garlic has so many “anti bad things” properties that are simply a delight. Take a few cloves of garlic and crush them up so you can put them on your keloid or keloids afterwards. The antibacterial properties will help clear up the scars if you stick to the remedy and repeat it on a daily basis, allowing the crushed cloves of garlic to sink in for around ten minutes.

9. Honey

No matter how tempted you are, try not to eat up this irresistibly sweet home remedy before you manage to apply it to your keloid scars. The antifungal properties that honey comes packed with are perfect for healing those keloids and getting your skin back to normal. You also have to be patient for this home remedy to work, so take some time every day to apply a bit of honey to the keloid scar and in a few weeks everything should be alright.

10. Apple Cider Vinegar

It is almost impossible to create a list with home remedies without mentioning apple cider vinegar, it is that powerful. This is a personal favorite for natural treating enthusiasts from around the world, so we really recommend that you try it out for healing your keloid scars. If the keloid scar is in a particularly irritated state, you can dilute some apple cider vinegar into water before applying, but otherwise you can use it directly. Repeat for multiple times a day for a few weeks until you can enjoy keloid-free skin once again.

11. Baking Soda

For exfoliating purposes, baking soda should be the first ingredient on top of your list. For getting rid of keloids, you can mix some baking soda with either some hydrogen peroxide or honey to make a consistent paste like substance. After you mix the two ingredients of your choice together, use the paste to cover the patch of skin with keloids. Make sure that you apply this remedy every day, otherwise it might not have the results you expect.

Photo credits: Wikipedia.org, Monicasbeauty.com.