The Role of Vitamin D in Keloid Scar Treatment

Treating keloid scars continue to be a particular challenge for those in the aesthetic specialty due to the scar's oversized nature, continued growth, and difficult treatment.

While intralesional corticosteroid injection is considered first-line treatment for keloids, a recent study in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology¹ (JCD) examined vitamin D efficacy in treating keloids using intralesional injection. Vitamin D slows the progression of tissue fibrosis by keloid fibroblasts and inhibits collagen synthesis in dermal fibrosis, according to the study, making the vitamin a key player in cell proliferation and differentiation.

The study, which evaluated the efficacy of intralesional injection of vitamin D in the treatment of keloids, both clinically and ultrasonically, included 40 patients with keloids. Patients were injected weekly with intralesional vitamin D at a dose of 0.2 ml (200,000 IU) per 1 cm lesion.

The keloid scars were evaluated before and after treatment with the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) and by a high-resolution ultrasound using B mode. Study patients received 3 to 4 sessions.

Results showed a statistically significant reduction in VSS after treatment with the vitamin injection (p value ≤0.001) along with a highly significant improvement in ultrasonic keloid scar thickness post-treatment (P value ≤0.001). From this data, study investigators concluded that intralesional vitamin D is a safe and effective treatment of keloid scars. Additionally, ultrasound is useful in assessing keloid improvement after treatment.

Reference:

1. Mamdouh M, Omar GA, Hafiz HSA, Ali SM. Role of vitamin D in treatment of keloid. J Cosmet Dermatol. Published online March 26, 2021:jocd.14070. doi: 10.1111/jocd.14070