The One Thing I Was Doing Every Day That Made My Keloid Worse—A Dermatologist Finally Told Me the Truth

 I thought I was helping my skin heal.

I was careful. Obsessive, even. I kept my keloid clean, moisturized, protected. I Googled late into the night, tried every DIY remedy and expensive scar cream Instagram threw my way.

But nothing worked.
Worse—my keloid got angrier.

It grew. Hardened. Turned redder. I started skipping social events just to avoid the embarrassment. You know that feeling—when people’s eyes flick to your scar before they look you in the eye?

Yeah, I know it too.

And then came the moment that changed everything.

---

What the Dermatologist Told Me (That No One Else Had)

After bouncing between well-meaning GPs and trying treatments that either burned or broke the bank, I finally landed in a specialist’s office.

She took one look at my shoulder and said:

“You’re irritating it without even realizing. Every day. That’s why it won’t heal.”

I blinked. I hadn’t scratched it, touched it, or messed with it.

But then she asked me:

“What kind of clothes do you usually wear?”

That question hit like a brick.

 Start Your Free 30-Day Amazon Prime Trial

---

The Silent Saboteur: Constant Friction

Turns out, the tight straps on my backpack and fitted tops were the enemy I never saw coming.

Keloids react to even minor trauma—especially repeated friction. Every time a strap rubbed that spot, it was triggering micro-inflammation. Basically, my body was being told “hey, we’re injured again—better over-heal this, fast.”

I had been unknowingly reinjuring my keloid every single day.

And all those creams I kept reapplying? They were just bandages over a wound I was reopening on loop.

---

What I Did Differently (That Finally Helped)

I went home and did three simple things:

1. Switched to loose, soft fabrics—nothing that touched or rubbed the keloid.

2. Stopped applying too many products—less was more. Just a gentle non-comedogenic moisturizer.

3. Started covering it with a hydrocolloid patch when I had to wear straps—minimal pressure, no rubbing.

And over a few months, my keloid softened. It flattened slightly. The angry red faded. For the first time in years, I felt like I had control.

---

Bonus Truth: Keloids Are Not Just “Skin Deep”

The dermatologist also mentioned something else I’ll never forget:

“Your immune system is overreacting—not just your skin.”

That led me down a rabbit hole of learning about inflammation, gut health, hormone imbalances, and how they all tie into wound healing.

We talk so much about the outside of our skin. But the inside? It matters more than we think.

---

Final Words: What I Wish I Knew Earlier

If you’re dealing with a stubborn keloid, ask yourself:

• Is something rubbing it every day?

• Are you over-applying products out of desperation?

• Are you missing the internal signs your body is giving?

Because sometimes, the biggest breakthroughs aren’t about expensive treatments or fancy clinics.

Sometimes, it’s about stopping the one silent mistake no one talks about.