After an injury to the skin occurs, some people develop raised lumps of collagen, called keloids, inside of the scar tissue. Keloids are often shiny and raised in appearance, and can be painful if they impede movement or continue to grow larger after healing. Several steps can be taken both medically and naturally to help get rid of keloids, ranging from brief, noninvasive treatments to much more involved procedures.

Keloids can appear anywhere on a person's body, but are most likely to appear on the back, ears, chest, and shoulders. They can develop within the scar tissue of any injury or disruption to the skin, including piercings, bug bites, acne, and cuts. These types of scars can affect anyone at any age.

The application of pressure, tea oil, and vitamin E oil are some natural methods used to get rid of keloids. Applying pressure is usually recommended for keloids that develop as the result of acne or ear piercings. Tea oil and vitamin E oil can be applied several times a day to help get rid of keloids, too. Each of these natural methods takes time to work, so a person may not see results until weeks or even months after beginning the treatment.

Steroid injections are typically the first medical treatment attempted to get rid of keloids. These injections are usually given once per month for about six months. After six months of treatment, keloids have generally flattened down to the skin and become more difficult to see. Another option for keloid removal is silicon strips, which are applied like a bandage over the bump and left on for an entire day. Silicon creams are sometimes used to treat the symptoms that are associated with keloids, like burning, itching, and tingling pain.

To get rid of keloids with freezing treatment, liquid nitrogen is used. Freezing off a keloid often involves several treatments, usually about a month apart. In order for this treatment to be successful, many doctors recommend that a person take part in both freezing treatment and steroid injections. Although freezing a keloid may help, there is a chance that this treatment could permanently lighten the skin where the keloid was located.

Excision, or surgery to get rid of keloids, may be used if all other treatments are unsuccessful. It is a last resort most of the time because of the fear that the new surgical scar will develop a new keloid. In an effort to prevent new lesions, a steroid injection or radiation can be given after surgery.