Table of contents:
- What are the causes of keloids in the ear?
- Various ways to get rid of keloids in the ears
- 1. Operation
- 2. Corticosteroid injections
- 3. Cryotherapy
- 4. Laser
- 5. Retinoid cream
Keloids are overgrowths of skin tissue that often appear after a wound has healed. Thickening of the skin due to keloids can occur in any part of the body, one of which is the ears. Usually, this can happen after you have your ear pierced and the skin breaks. So, is there a way to get rid of keloids in the ears? Here's the explanation.
What are the causes of keloids in the ear?
Even though it looks trivial, putting earrings or ear piercing can trigger keloid growth. Why did it happen?
As the scars heal, the old skin tissue is replaced with fibrous scar tissue. This scar tissue automatically grows on each wound, its purpose is to replace the injured skin. Well, but sometimes your body makes too much scar tissue that over time it triggers keloids.
In the ear, keloids usually begin with a small, round bump around the piercing area. This keloid tissue can grow quickly in some people, but there are also those that take months afterward.
Apart from piercing, keloids in the ears can also be caused by acne, chicken pox, and insect bites. Surgical scars on the ear are also prone to trigger the growth of scar tissue that develops into keloids.
Various ways to get rid of keloids in the ears
Keloid is quite difficult to remove. Even when you get rid of keloids, no matter where they are, they can come back and thicken on the surface of the skin.
But calm down first, this doesn't mean you can't get rid of keloids in your ears, you know. Here are some ways to get rid of keloids in the ears:
1. Operation
Surgery is one of the effective ways to remove keloids in the ear. The doctor will certainly give a local anesthetic first before removing the scar tissue lodged in your ear.
However, keep in mind that this surgical procedure will certainly give a new wound to your ear. This method can indeed help remove keloids in the ears, but it is also at risk of growing new scar tissue, aka keloids.
That is why, you cannot rely on this local operation alone to remove keloids. After surgery, your doctor will usually ask you to wear pressure earrings to reduce injury and prevent new keloids.
These pressure earrings need to be in place for 16 hours a day for 6-12 months for maximum results. No wonder your ears will feel uncomfortable and depressed when using it.
2. Corticosteroid injections
Apart from going through the surgical route, how to get rid of keloids in the ears can be done by injecting corticosteroid drugs. This medication will be injected directly into your keloid to help shrink it and relieve pain.
This corticosteroid injection needs to be done regularly at least 3-4 weeks until the keloid is deflated. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, this one medical procedure has been successful in shrinking keloids by 50-80 percent.
3. Cryotherapy
If you have keloids in your ears that are small but have been occurring for less than 3 years, then try cryotherapy. Cryotherapy is a method of removing keloids in the ears by using cold temperatures.
The keloid tissue in your ear will be frozen using liquid nitrogen, then removed a little at a time. A study published in the Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery revealed that cryotherapy can reduce keloid size by up to 50 percent.
Depending on how much scar tissue has grown in your ear, you may need at least 3 cryotherapy treatments. The results will be maximized when combined with steroid injections.
4. Laser
Source: Tensor Tympani
Not a few people rely on laser procedures to remove keloids in the ear. This treatment is done by illuminating the keloid to reduce and fade the color.
Like most other treatments, laser therapy cannot be done alone and requires other medical procedures to make it more optimal.
5. Retinoid cream
Scar tissue growths, aka keloids, often appear darker than the surrounding skin. To fade the color, your doctor may prescribe a retinoid cream.
A study published in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology in 2010, the use of two types of retinoids, namely tretinoin and isotretinoin, has been shown to be effective in reducing the size of the annoying keloid. In addition, the active ingredients in the cream can also reduce the itching that appears on the skin area around the keloid.
