Remedies For Keloid Scar

By Patricia | August 19, 2009

Keloid scars are a formation of scar tissue that grows in an abnormal way that almost resembles a tumorous growth of skin. Despite appearances, a keloid scar is not a cancerous growth but rather an incorrect growth of collagen in a scar that overlaps the existing area of injury. The regular type of scars that form are called hypertrophic scars. Dealing with keloid scars are problematic because cutting away the extra scar tissue only causes the keloid scar to grow back again.

Scar formation occurs when there is a site of damage on the skin. If the damage is enough to cause a tear, then the body takes the corrective measure of forming collagen over the area quickly. The normal course of wound healing involves clotting of region, cleaning of the wound area by the white blood cells of debris and infection, the laying down of new capillaries and vessels and finally, the skin replacement. When there is tissue loss, the skin healing process involves quickly laying down collagen fibers, doing away with aesthetics. In a keloid scar, the very same process happens, but if there is some kind of debris still stuck in the wound, a foreign body, or a source of chlorine in the wound, collagen will be laid around the area in a very erratic way. Keloid scars are not caused because of any kind of genetic predisposition or a result of autoimmune disease; it is just one of those mistakes that the body ends up making. Treating keloid scars is complicated, time consuming, and generally not extremely effective but they are the only methods available.

Curiously, a treatment for a keloid scar formation involves the humble onion. This claim is statistically under review but the scientifically proven fact is that in animal testing, it was found that the rearrangement of collagen was modulated on development of scars. On the basis of this research, one can therefore assume that the same benefits would accrue to humans as well. Another treatment, which is much more widespread and accepted, is the use of pressure. Tying a bandage with an adequate amount of pressure has been known to reduce the size of a keloid scar over time. One of the upcoming treatments that shows great promise is the use of a substance called mucin. This substance is used to promote intercellular coordination that promotes the body’s own processes of correcting abnormalities. This treatment is still under review, so it may not be available to the population at large, yet.

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