Top 12 Effective Home Remedies To Treat Keloids
Scars, irrespective of their type and origin, can mar your look. They can easily lower your confidence and make you try every possible cure in the world to get rid of them. In this article, we share with you a few home remedies for keloid scars.
Keloids are enlarged scars that are caused due to the anomalous growth of fibrous tissues. They are even considered as benign fibrous tumors of the skin. They are irregularly shaped, pink in color, have a smooth appearance, and increase progressively in size (1, 2). Keloid is one of those scars that just doesn’t know when to stop growing and becomes very unsightly.
I have compiled a list of simple solutions to remove keloids, with ingredients found at home. Before I go into detail about each remedy, let us understand the keloid scars better by looking at its causes and symptoms.
What Causes A Keloid?
Skin injuries often lead to the formation of keloid scars. Some of these common skin injuries are –
What Are The Symptoms Of A Keloid?
You may or may not have all the associated symptoms as this ultimately depends on the cause of the keloid and also your body. Symptoms for keloids include –
- Scar that is pink or flesh colored (can also become red)
- Lumpy and/or ridged skin
- Tender to touch
- Itchiness at the affected site
- Easily irritated by clothing or cosmetics and skincare products
It is very rare that keloid scars have an associated pain (1, 2). Laser treatment and surgery are cosmetic treatments available in the market for their removal, but these are pretty expensive. Before opting for any cosmetic procedures for keloids, check out these simple yet effective home remedies. These can give you the same results at hardly any cost.
How To Get Rid Of Keloids
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Aspirin
- Lemon Juice
- Baking Soda
- Sandalwood And Rose Water
- Garlic
- Grapefruit Seed Extract
- Honey
- Aloe Vera Gel
- Petroleum Jelly
- Onion Juice
- Honey
Home Remedies For Keloids Removal
1. Apple Cider Vinegar For Keloids
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
- Apple cider vinegar
- Water
What You Have To Do
- Dilute ACV with an equal amount of water. Take enough to cover the entire affected area.
- Apply on the keloid and leave it for 30 minutes.
- Rinse it off with water.
How Often You Should Do This
Repeat this twice daily for 4-5 weeks.
Why This Works
Apple cider vinegar is the most effective home remedy for keloids as it helps in minimizing the redness and size of the scar (3). It is a great exfoliant and astringent (4).
2. Aspirin For Keloids
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
- 3-4 aspirin tablets
- Water
What You Have To Do
- Make a smooth, thick paste of crushed aspirin tablets with water.
- Clean the scars, apply this and let it dry.
- Wash off and then apply moisturizer.
How Often You Should Do This
Apply this once every day or every alternate day.
Why This Works
A standard medication for a headache, aspirin is also used in treating keloids. Its anti-inflammatory and exfoliating properties prove beneficial in this case (5).
3. Lemon Juice For Keloids
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
Lemon juice
What You Have To Do
- Apply lemon juice directly on the affected area and let it stand for 30 minutes.
- Later, wash the area with warm water.
How Often You Should Do This
Repeat this twice daily.
Why This Works
Being rich in vitamin C, fresh lemon juice works as an excellent antioxidant and helps in quick healing of the keloid scar. Within a few weeks of application, you will notice remarkable changes in the flexibility, texture, and color of the skin (6, 7).
4. Baking Soda For Keloids
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 teaspoons 3% hydrogen peroxide
- Cotton ball
What You Have To Do
- Mix baking soda and hydrogen peroxide to form a smooth paste.
- Apply this using the cotton ball on the affected area and let it stand for 20 minutes.
- Rinse it off with water.
How Often You Should Do This
Repeat this two times every day for quick healing of the scar.
Why This Works
Baking soda is a great remedy for keloids that is readily available in your kitchen. Being an abrasive agent, it helps in exfoliating and keeping the skin clean. It also soothes the skin and reduces any swelling present (8, 9).
[ Read: Benefits Of Baking Soda ]
5. Sandalwood And Rose Water For Keloids
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
- 1-2 teaspoons sandalwood powder
- Rose water
What You Have To Do
- Make a thick paste of sandalwood in rose water and apply on the affected area at bedtime.
- Wash off next morning with warm water.
How Often You Should Do This
Do this every night.
Why This Works
Sandalwood, known for its skin regenerating property, and rose water being a skin toner works great when used to get rid of keloids (10, 11).
6. Garlic For Keloids
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
1-2 garlic cloves
What You Have To Do
- Apply crushed garlic cloves on the scars and leave it for 15 minutes.
- Wash the area later with lukewarm water.
You can also use garlic oil instead of the fresh garlic cloves.
How Often You Should Do This
Repeat this every day, preferably twice a day.
Why This Works
Garlic prevents excess fibroblast proliferation that is mainly responsible for the enlargement of keloid scars. It also improves blood circulation to the area, and this helps in fastening the healing process of the keloid (12).
7. Grapefruit Seed Extract For Keloids
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
- 1 teaspoon water
- 2-3 drops grapefruit seed extract
- Q-tip
What You Have To Do
- Dilute the grapefruit seed extract in water.
- Dip the Q-tip in this and apply it on the keloid.
- Leave it on for as long as possible.
How Often You Should Do This
Do this twice a day.
Why This Works
Grapefruit seed extract contains antioxidants and vitamin C that help to reduce keloids (13).
8. Honey For Keloids
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
Honey
What You Have To Do
- Just apply fresh honey directly on your scars.
- Massage gently and let it sit for 30-40 minutes.
- Rinse with water.
How Often You Should Do This
You can apply honey twice every day for some weeks to reduce keloid scars effectively.
Why This Works
Honey is a natural ingredient that is used for multiple skin treatments including keloids. If possible use Tualang honey that is more effective in reducing keloids. It prevents dead cells from accumulating in the area, enhances blood circulation and speeds up the healing process (14).
9. Aloe Vera Gel For Keloids
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
An aloe leaf
What You Have To Do
- Cut open the leaf and extract the gel present inside.
- Clean the affected area with lukewarm water and apply the aloe vera gel.
- Leave it for about 30 minutes before rinsing it off. You can also leave it on overnight.
How Often You Should Do This
Apply aloe vera gel twice a day.
Why This Works
Aloe vera gel has antiseptic and antibacterial properties that help in healing keloids in the initial stages. It reduces pain, inflammation, and has wound healing properties (15).
[ Read: Home Remedies To Ease Heartburn ]
10. Petroleum Jelly For Keloids
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
Petroleum jelly
What You Have To Do
Clean the area and massage it with petroleum jelly.
How Often You Should Do This
Reapply the jelly 3-4 times in a day.
Why This Works
A simple way to reduce keloid scars is to keep it moisturized and hydrated at all times. Petroleum jelly, being an occlusive agent, traps the moisture and helps in reducing the keloids (16).
11. Onion Juice For Keloids
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
- 1 white onion
- A cheesecloth
- Cotton
What You Have To Do
- Chop the onion, place it in a cheesecloth, and squeeze out the onion juice.
- Apply this on the keloid scar with the cotton.
There is no need to rinse it off.
How Often You Should Do This
Repeat this 3-4 times in a day.
Why This Works
The effectiveness of onion in reducing keloid and hypertrophic scars was tested a few years back by scientists. It was shown that the appearance of the scars improved to a great deal with this treatment. Onion juice or onion extract used multiple mechanisms to heal scars in a short period (17).
12. Oils To Treat Keloids
Image: Shutterstock
You Will Need
- 1 tablespoon jojoba oil
- Few drops of rosehip seed oil
OR
- 1 tablespoon virgin coconut oil
- Few drops of tea tree essential oil
- 1-2 drops neem oil (optional)
OR
Few drops of Jamaican black castor oil
OR
Few drops of frankincense essential oil
What You Have To Do
Apply a blend of the oils mentioned on the affected area and massage gently.
How Often You Should Do This
You can repeat this remedy several times every day for better results.
Why This Works
There are multiple combinations of carrier oils and essential oils that work well in fading away keloid scars. The carrier oils have the property to moisturize and nourish the skin with essential fatty acids (18, 19, 20). The essential oils possess skin regenerating and healing properties along with antioxidants to aid the carrier oil in healing the keloids (21, 22, 23, 24).
The above listed home remedies for keloids removal need to be followed religiously to show results. A keloid scar can be adamant and can take a while to go away. Be consistent with the remedy you pick, and you will see results for sure. Our health experts tell you all that you wanted to know about keloids.
Expert’s Answers For Readers’ Questions
Are Keloid Scars Contagious?
A keloid scar is not contagious at all. It is the result of skin injury that you have suffered personally and will spread with contact.
Do White People Get Keloid Scars?
People with deeper skin tones are more prone to getting keloid scars than people with lighter skin. However, keloid scars have also been reported in white people.
This article contains the best home remedies for treating keloid scars naturally. So, next time when you notice these scars on your skin, try out any of these effective and no-cost solutions to completely get rid of them.
Please feel free to share your feedback and tips, if any, with us.
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