Keloids are scar tissues that overgrow when your skin undergoes any trauma. For example, you might get them after getting your ears pierced, and they might grow on the lobe as well as the cartilage. You can identify a keloid from its color and form.
Keloids can also appear as a tumor. They are usually benign and seldom turn malignant as the cells in the keloid usually stop multiplying after a while. However, the scar tissue can change in appearance and color over time. It might seem like it is turning into a dangerous mass. Hence, it is always a good idea to consult a doctor. You can be sure that the keloid is a result of the piercing and not a lump appearing on your skin that might turn cancerous later.
However, there is no reason to panic if you see keloids on your ears after you have had them pierced. You can get rid of them by trying some home remedies. One might also get keloids after getting a tattoo. Scroll down to know about the causes, symptoms, and other reasons and how to get rid of keloids from piercings.
Why Do You Get Keloids on Piercings?
Although getting your ears pierced is more of a style statement for you, your body tends to perceive it as an injury. The body sometimes produces too much scar tissue as the healing process begins.
Ideally, the collagen-promoting cells heal the piercing and leave behind nothing but a tiny scar that almost always fades with time. However, sometimes the cells multiply even after the wound has healed. And this possibly leads to the formation of the keloids.
For some, the keloids might appear within a few weeks of getting the piercings. It could take months for others. It starts spreading out from the original wound and seem like a lump that eventually grows larger than the initial piercing.
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How Can You Identify Keloids?
#1. Slow Growth
You will notice a slow growth around the area where you got your ears pierced. It will take about three months to up to a year for the mass to appear.
#2. Change in Texture
The lobe or the cartilage of your ear will feel thicker and rubbery. You might feel a load on your ears if the lump starts growing too big. They could also feel itchy or appear tender to the touch.
#3. Change in Color
Keloids are usually dark brown, reddish, or purplish. It will almost always be darker than a person’s skin tone, and the outer edges are darker than the center of the keloid.
You have to remember that the person’s age and genetics also play a significant role in the formation of keloids. They are usually more common in people with darker skin tones, and they are more likely to occur in people under the age of 30.
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Why Shouldn’t You Try Invasive Procedures At First to Remove Keloids?
Keloids are not your usual skin tags and should be handled with non-invasive procedures. It is not advisable to get an excision procedure to get rid of keloids, which will only aggravate the skin further. Your body will produce even more scar tissue to heal the wound.
It is better to try some home remedies before you opt for surgical procedures as they are more cost-effective and have a much more soothing effect on the skin. Although the home remedies might not remove the entire mass, they will significantly reduce its size and lessen any tenderness or pain.
How Can You Remove Keloids at Home?
There are specific home remedies that are quite effective for treating keloids at home. You can try some of these out, and it will significantly reduce the scar tissues around your piercings.
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#1. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is a powerful natural astringent. Its exfoliating properties gently rub away the scar tissues and the dead cells that accumulate. The vinegar prevents new cells from entering the keloid that can lead to the growth of the scar tissues. It helps with pigmentation and also reduces inflammation.
How to Use?
Apply some apple cider vinegar on a cotton ball and gently rub it over the scar tissue. Leave for 30 minutes and wash it off with water. You should start seeing results in a month by using it twice daily.
#2. Aloe Vera Gel
Aloe vera gel has been used extensively in traditional medicine for its innumerable benefits. Its healing properties help reduce the size of the scar tissues in the keloids. Most importantly, it can help combat any tenderness or soreness around the tissue.
How to Use?
Extract some fresh aloe vera gel from the leaves and apply it generously on the keloid. Leave it overnight and wipe it off in the morning. Try this for a month, and you will see some positive results.
#3. Onion Extracts
Onions are rich in flavonoids, and it is a powerful antioxidant that helps with healing. It has been used for treating scars since ancient times. Onion juice effectively treats keloids and hypertrophic scars, especially scars on the skin due to severe trauma. It can significantly reduce the pain and inflammation in the keloids.
How to Use?
Grind some onion in a blender and extract the juice. Apply it directly on the keloids and let it rest. Repeat for up to three to four times a day, and you will notice the size of your keloids going down within five to six weeks.
#4. Garlic Oil
Garlic is rich in a kind of bioactive ingredient known as allicin, and it is found extensively in root vegetables. Its main properties prevent excessive fibroblast proliferation that leads to lumps and bumps. In addition, it blocks certain enzymes from entering the keloids that lead to its growth and hyperpigmentation around the area. It also improves blood circulation in the region that contributes towards healing.
How to Use?
Crush some garlic and use a cotton ball to absorb the pungent oil. Apply it all over the keloid and leave it on for 30 minutes. Wash off with cold water. Repeat this twice daily for best results, and you will notice a significant difference in about a month.
#5. Rose and Sandalwood
Sandalwood has a remarkable soothing effect on the skin, and its anti-inflammatory properties are legendary. It promotes new cell growth by healing the skin and making it soft and firm. It also reduces pigmentation and is very effective when combined with the goodness of rose water.
How to Use?
Extract some fresh sandalwood by rubbing a piece of wood with some water on a hard stone surface. Or buy some organic and fresh sandalwood powder. Make a thick paste by mixing it with a spoon or two of rose water.
Apply the pack on the keloids and let it rest overnight. Rub off the paste in the morning with a damp cloth. You will notice a remarkable change in the appearance of your keloids within a month or so, and it will also reduce the pain significantly.
#6. Honey
Honey has intense anti-inflammatory as well as anti-microbial properties. In addition, it prevents dead cells from accumulating over the scar tissues and keeps the blood circulation going in the region.
How to Use?
Take some honey and massage it over the keloid directly. Its soft consistency will make it easy for your fingers to glide over. Massage for 3 to 4 minutes and leave it on for another 45 minutes. Finally, wash it off with cool water. It accelerates the healing process in no time.
#7. Baking Soda
Baking soda has abrasive properties, so it brushes off the dead scar cells from the keloids with every application. As a result, it also reduces irritation and reduces swelling.
How to Use?
Make a paste by adding one spoon of baking soda to three teaspoons of hydrogen peroxide. Apply it directly on the keloid and leave it on for 20 minutes. Then, wash it off with water. Repeat twice a week for six weeks, and you will notice the keloid reducing in size.
#8. Lemon Juice
Lemon juice is rich in Vitamin C and other antioxidants, which are crucial for healing. In addition, it reduces scar tissue and improves the overall skin texture.
How to Use?
Take some freshly squeezed lemon juice and apply it on the keloid with a cotton ball. Wash it off with lukewarm water after 30 minutes. Repeat twice daily for a month for best results.
#9. Pressure Earrings
Another form of non-invasive technique that you can try at home is to wear pressure earrings. Consult a doctor, and they will give you a pressure earring to wear after surgically removing the keloid. Leaving the keloid at that will lead to the formation of new scar tissue.
The pressure earring will apply equal pressure around the earlobe and cartilage and prevent the keloid from forming. It can be a little uncomfortable to wear and needs to be worn for about six months to a year for sixteen hours a day. However, it usually produces positive results.
#10. Retinoid Creams and Silicone Gels
You can apply retinoid creams or silicone gels to reduce the size and appearance of the keloids. They effectively reduce the itchiness and will also significantly reduce its size. In addition, they don’t have many adverse effects, making it a safe choice.
However, use them only after consulting a doctor and avoid over-the-counter ointments that aggravate the problem.
Bottom Line
Keloids can be challenging to treat, so you should seek advice from a doctor regarding how to get rid of keloids from piercings. Most keloids need a combination of treatments to be eliminated. The best thing would be to understand all the implications before getting your ear pierced. The doctor might suggest certain precautions based on your age and medical history. Then, with the proper procedure, you will go back to flaunting beautiful skin.
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