How to Get Rid of Redness & Keloid Scars

Following injury to the skin, redness and keloid scars at the site of an injury may occur. These scars may look like raised bumps or nodules and contain fibroblasts that create scar tissue. Keloid scars often result in pain, itchiness, redness and tingling. Keloid scars can occur anywhere on the body and are essentially benign tumors. There are a few things that can be done to get rid of these scars. Consult a doctor if you have any questions.

Things You'll Need

• Pressure dressing
• Medical tape

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Instructions

• 1

  Treat redness at the site with cool compresses.

• 2

  Apply a pressure dressing or injury tape to the area and place it firmly over the keloid site. Pressure dressings or injury tape can be purchased at most drug stores or pharmacies and may include silicon sheets, medical tape or gel sheets. Place the dressing directly over the keloid and press firmly while using medical tape or a flexible first aid bandage, such as an ace bandage, to hold the dressing in place. It should exert a firm and constant pressure on the keloid. Remove the pressure dressing for only one hour per day and then replace with a new dressing. The dressing should be worn 23 hours out of every 24.

• 3

  Have a long-acting cortisone steroid injection directly into the keloid. This treatment is necessary once a month and several injections are necessary before the keloid will begin to flatten and disappear.

• 4

  Consider cryosurgery to remove the keloid, which is a particularly good treatment option for those with light skin or small keloids. Cryosurgery involves the freezing of the keloid through the use of liquid nitrogen. This process allows the removal of the keloid tissue once it has been frozen.

• 5

  Ask your doctor about laser surgery, which can remove the keloid, or excision with a surgical instrument. View images of keloids before and after surgery at websites such as eMedicine.com.

• 6

  Following surgery to remove the keloid, have an injection of alpha-interferon into the scar site to completely remove the keloid. Doctors may also inject steroids or apply pressure dressings to the area following the surgery to prevent the re-formation of keloids. Radiation is another alternative to prevent the recurrence of keloid formation.