Can keloids shrink on their own?

Table of Contents

What are Keloids?

Keloids are overgrowths of scar tissue that grow beyond the boundaries of the original skin injury. They are firm, rubbery lesions or shiny, fibrous nodules that can vary from pink to red to dark brown in color. Keloids form when the body overproduces collagen at the site of a healed wound.

Collagen is a protein that provides structure and strength to skin tissue. When too much collagen is produced, it results in the excessive tissue growth seen in keloids. They can continue to expand over time and do not usually regress on their own. Keloids can cause pain, itching, inflammation, and cosmetic concerns.

What Causes Keloids?

Doctors are not entirely sure why some people develop keloids after skin injuries while others do not. However, there are some known risk factors:

Genetics – Keloids run in families, indicating a genetic predisposition.
Age – Keloids are more common in younger people, especially those under 30 years old.

Sex – Keloids occur more frequently in females.
Race – People with darker skin tones have a higher risk of keloids.
Location – Areas like the chest, shoulders, upper back, and earlobes are prone to keloids.

Injury Type – Keloids are more common after severe wounds, burns, lacerations, vaccinations, acne, or body piercings.

Do Keloids Shrink On Their Own?

Unfortunately, keloids do not usually shrink or disappear without intervention. The excessive collagen and expanded scar tissue continues to accumulate over time. Some key points:

Keloids tend to progressively enlarge, even after the initial injury has healed.

They do not subside and regress on their own.
Without treatment, keloids can expand indefinitely and become larger.
They may shrink slightly in size after finishing the active growth phase, but do not resolve spontaneously.

The only way to reduce or remove keloids is with professional medical treatment.

When Do Keloids Stop Growing?

Keloids tend to stop enlarging at some point, but there is no definitive time frame. Some key points about the growth period:

Keloids typically continue growing for weeks to months after the initial skin injury occurs.

The active growth phase can persist for up to 1-2 years.
Very large keloids may take longer to finish growing, sometimes up to 5 years.
After the active phase, keloids tend to stabilize in size but do not shrink substantially.

Growth can restart with a new skin injury, inflammation, or other triggers.
The cessation of growth does not mean the keloid will spontaneously disappear.

Do Keloids Go Away Over Time?

Without treatment, keloids do not typically go away on their own over time. The reasons keloids persist include:

They are composed of dense, fibrous scar tissue that does not degrade.
The body is unable to break down and reabsorb the excess collagen.
The scar tissue collects more collagen over time rather than dissolving it.

Keloids have a disorganized blood supply that promotes collagen accumulation.
Once formed, keloids tend to persist indefinitely unless treated.
Spontaneous flattening or resolution of keloids is very rare.

In rare cases, small keloids may flatten slightly after the growth phase but collagen and scar tissue will remain. Surgical removal is still required for any significant reduction in size.

Can Keloids Go Away Naturally?

It is very uncommon for keloids to disappear naturally without medical treatment. There are a few reasons keloids do not typically go away on their own:

Keloids are fibroproliferative tumors made of rigid, collagen-rich scar tissue.

The body cannot breakdown and absorb this abnormal scar tissue.
They receive a constant blood supply that stimulates further collagen deposition.
No natural physiological processes exist to automatically remove keloids.

The immune system is unable to effectively clear the excessive fibrotic tissue.
Watchful waiting usually results in keloid enlargement rather than resolution.

In extremely rare cases, small superficial keloids may flatten out slightly over many years. However, significant natural resolution without treatment is very unlikely regardless of the keloid’s size.

Can You Shrink Keloids Naturally?

It is challenging to shrink keloids naturally without medical treatment. But there are a few home remedies that may help reduce their size slightly in some cases:

Compression bandages – Applying constant light pressure can help flatten keloids.
Silicone sheets/gel – Silicone may help hydrate and soften keloids.

Onion extract – Onion extract gel can reduce collagen production.
Honey – Honey may help dehydrate and shrink keloids.
Aloe vera – Aloe vera has anti-inflammatory and moisturizing properties.

Natural oils – Oils like coconut, lavender, vitamin E may soften keloids.

However, research on natural remedies is limited and they are unlikely to significantly improve large or dense keloids. The most effective approach is professional medical treatment.

Medical Treatments to Remove Keloids

The most effective treatments to permanently remove or shrink keloids include:

Steroid injections – Injections like triamcinolone, Kenalog or betamethasone suppress collagen and inflammation.
Cryotherapy – Freezing keloids with liquid nitrogen causes localized scar tissue death.
Laser therapy – Lasers help shrink keloids by generating heat to break down collagen.

Radiation – Targeted radiation prevents excessive fibroblast activity and collagen production.
Surgery – Surgical excision removes the keloid followed by other treatments to prevent recurrence.

These medical options shrink keloids by destroying their component collagen fibers so the tissue can be reabsorbed normally. Treatments may be used alone or in combination for optimal results.

Risk of Keloid Recurrence After Treatment

One challenge with keloids is the risk of recurrence after treatment. Key facts:

The recurrence rate after surgical excision alone is up to 80-100% without additional treatment.
Using adjuvant therapies like steroids or radiation reduces the recurrence risk to 10-50%.

Recurrence usually occurs within the first year after treatment.
Meticulous wound care and tension-free closure helps minimize recurrence.
Repeated treatments are often needed to manage recurrent keloids.

Recurrence is common because the abnormal collagen-producing fibroblasts persist after keloid removal. Combination treatment is important to control these hyperactive cells and prevent the reformation of scar tissue.

Preventing New Keloid Formation

Preventing new keloids from forming starts with avoiding triggers and using proper wound care:

Avoid unnecessary skin injuries like piercings or elective surgeries.

Manage skin conditions like acne to prevent lesions.
Protect vulnerable skin from burns, cuts, insect bites, etc.
Close wounds with adhesive strips to reduce tension on edges.

Use silicone gel sheets or ointment on healed incisions.
Avoid sun exposure to surgical sites or skin injuries.
Discuss keloid prevention options like radiation after surgery.

With diligent wound care and protection from trauma, people prone to keloids can reduce their risk of developing new ones. Genetic susceptibility makes prevention especially important.

Conclusion

Keloids are abnormal overgrowths of scar tissue that result from excessive collagen formation during wound healing. Unlike normal scars, keloids continue to expand beyond the original injury borders and do not disappear over time without intervention.

Keloids typically stop growing on their own after 1-2 years but the lesions persist and rarely shrink spontaneously. The only effective way to eliminate keloids is with professional medical treatments that can break down the tough, collagen-rich scar tissue. Combination therapies are often required for satisfactory reduction in keloid size and prevention of recurrence. With diligent prevention and treatment, keloids can be managed successfully.