Keloid scars

After any injury in the place of tissue damage, a scar is formed - it forms about a year. However, often the wound healing is accompanied by the formation of a special scar, called keloid. It is a proliferation of tissue, consisting mainly of collagen fibers, and occupies a larger area than the initially damaged skin area. Keloid scars differ in cyanotic or pink color, smooth or bumpy surface, as well as with clear boundaries.

Causes of Keloid Scars

The mechanism that triggers the keloid formation remains unclear, although some doctors associate this with:

• hereditary predisposition;
• disorders of regulatory functions of the central nervous system;
• ethnic characteristics (keloids are prone to people with dark skin);
• malfunctions in the immune system;
• endocrine diseases.

Types of Keloid Scars

1. True (spontaneous) - scar grows on previously undamaged skin.
2. False - a scar is formed after a trauma: a burn , an insect bite, a piercing, an injection, an operation, etc. The growth of the neoplasm begins 1 to 4 months after the injury, and over time the scar can grow to a considerable extent, causing physical and moral discomfort. Neoplasm can form in any part of the body and in visible areas including. That is why the removal of keloid scars is an extremely demanded branch of cosmetology and plastic surgery.

In addition, keloids are:

• old - 5 - 10 years;
• young - 3 months - 5 years.

Depending on the "age", the approach to removing keloids is fundamentally different.

Formation of keloid scars

Keloids are formed in three stages. First, the wound is covered with a coarse crust and lightens (epithelialization). After 2.5 - 3 weeks, the scar begins to rise above the skin and acquires a bright pink color with a cyanotic shade. Then comes the stage of compaction, and the scar becomes bumpy. Its growth, as a rule, does not stop. This process is not painless - usually the formation of keloid scars is accompanied by symptoms such as pain in the wound, itching and burning.

How to treat keloid scars?

Traditional therapy involves two methods of treating keloids:

• application of silicone gel / plaster;
• the introduction of corticosteroids into the rumen area.

These funds, as a rule, allow you to remove keloids after a long (at least a year) and systematic therapy.

Alternative methods

In addition to the above methods, there are other methods of removing keloid scars:

1. Surgical excision is used if steroids do not work. The method is extremely risky, since after surgery, a new, even larger keloid usually grows in place of the former scar.
2. Radiation therapy (X-rays or electron beam) is effective after operations to prevent recurrence of keloid scars.
3. Compression or pressure treatment is used in combination with surgical excision - after removal of the scar, a bandage is applied. The method is very effective and has practically no side effects.
4. Laser grinding - allows for a few procedures to make the keloid less bright and more flat. The procedure is accompanied by a risk of recurrence in the form of the formation of neighboring scars.
5. Cryotherapy is a promising technique for removing keloid scars. The tissues are subjected to freezing, followed by thawing, as a result, most of the scar is necrotic and torn away.

Treatment of keloid scars with folk remedies

To make the keloid scars less visible helps the treatment with folk remedies. The most effective of them are essential oils of rosemary, mint, tea tree, incense, rosewood, geranium, fennel. They should be rubbed into the scars in combination with each other or in pure form.

You can prepare calendula oil or lice by the following recipe: grind the leaves and put them in a jar, pour olive oil and leave to infuse in the fridge for two weeks. Then the product is stored in a vial in a dark place.

• consult with a dermatologist;
• Test the drug for possible allergic reaction (apply on the skin of the hand).