How to treat keloids
Jan 25, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Liu Wenmin
Introduction
In general, keloids can be treated through medication, physical therapy, pressure therapy, radiation therapy, surgical excision, and other methods. Prior to treatment, it is advisable to consult a specialist for professional advice and to develop an individualized treatment plan. Meanwhile, during the treatment process, it is important to keep the skin clean, prevent infection, and avoid scratching or rubbing the keloid, in order to prevent worsening of symptoms.
Generally, keloids can be treated through medication therapy, physical therapy, pressure therapy, radiation therapy, surgical excision, and other methods. A detailed analysis is as follows:
1. Medication Therapy
Under a doctor's guidance, medications such as asiaticoside cream, mucopolysaccharide polysulfate cream, and tretinoin cream may be used. These medications can help reduce scar hyperplasia and associated symptoms to some extent.
2. Physical Therapy
Laser-generated heat energy vaporizes scar tissue, achieving therapeutic effects. Laser treatment is relatively precise, causing minimal damage to surrounding healthy tissue, although multiple sessions are usually required to achieve optimal results. Pulsed dye laser mainly targets blood vessels within the keloid, reducing blood supply and thus inhibiting scar growth.
3. Pressure Therapy
Pressure therapy involves applying pressure on the keloid to inhibit its growth, typically using pressure garments or compression bandages. This method is suitable for patients with large keloid areas, especially burn-related scars. Pressure therapy requires long-term adherence, usually for at least six months or more. Although results develop slowly, this method has fewer side effects and is considered a relatively safe adjunctive treatment.
4. Radiation Therapy
Radiation therapy primarily uses radiation to inhibit fibroblast proliferation within keloids. It is usually performed after surgical removal of the keloid and can effectively reduce recurrence rates. For some keloids unsuitable for surgery, radiation therapy alone can also provide certain improvement.
5. Surgical Excision
For larger keloids, surgical excision is an effective method. It can rapidly improve the appearance and function of keloids, but recurrence after surgery is common. Therefore, it is often necessary to combine surgery with other treatments to reduce the risk of recurrence.
Prior to treatment, it is advisable to consult a specialist for personalized treatment planning. Additionally, during treatment, maintaining skin cleanliness, avoiding infection, and refraining from scratching or rubbing the keloid are important to prevent symptom exacerbation.
