Vitamin D (topical) safe and effective for removing scars

haidut

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A neat human study, which demonstrates that topical treatment with vitamin D may treat even large scars that have been present on the skin for years. Many people have such scars as a result of surgery, trauma, chemical/heat burns, radiation, etc. As the study says, the typical treatment is with cortisol injections, however the effectiveness is less than 10%, and the only other option is cosmetic surgery, which of course leaves scars of its own and can hardly be considered a "solution". Humble vitamin D may come to the rescue and even though the study used injections of the vitamin into the scar, topical administration of vitamin D has also been found to achieve high skin concentrations. The dosage used in the study was 200,000 of vitamin D3, and all that was needed was 3-4 sessions of such treatment. The mechanism of action, as expected, was the antifibrotic effects of vitamin D, which I have discussed many times in my posts. The study abstract does not mention timing/duration but considering mos doctors prescribe 50,000 IU weekly, this suggests the study used the 200,000 IU once monthly and as such the treatment duration was 3-4 months. There is no reason why the same effects cannot be achieved with daily treatments using lower doses, which means daily topical administration of 10,000 IU - 15,000 IU of vitamin D3 (higher dose than the 200,000 / 30 in order to account for absorption of less than 100% through the skin) should be able to achieve similar results.

Role of vitamin D in treatment of keloid - PubMed
The Role of Vitamin D in Keloid Scar Treatment

"...A recent study in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology examines the safety and efficacy of using vitamin D intralesional injection for the treatment of keloid scars. Treating keloid scars continue to be a particular challenge for dermatologists due to the scars 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 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 scares. Additionally, ultrasound is useful in assessing keloid improvement after treatment."
 

youngsinatra

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I have a product with vitamin D3 dissolved in MCT oil in the form of a dropper.

How much approximately would be absorbed through the skin in your opinion and expertise?
 
OP
haidut

haidut

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I have a product with vitamin D3 dissolved in MCT oil in the form of a dropper.

How much approximately would be absorbed through the skin in your opinion and expertise?

Nobody knows for sure what the topical absorption is as it depends on solvent, skin area, skin location, individual health, etc. If there is only MCT oil in it, then I'd say 15%-20% absorption is probably a reasonable expectation.
 

Don.M

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Nobody knows for sure what the topical absorption is as it depends on solvent, skin area, skin location, individual health, etc. If there is only MCT oil in it, then I'd say 15%-20% absorption is probably a reasonable expectation.
Is there any advantage to using D3 (Cholecalciferol) topically vs a pill? Perhaps no need to supplement K2 if D3 is used topically? I would also appreciate if you could clarify what vitamin D supplementation, if any, and what version, is recommended if you can’t get enough sunlight. And what cofactors, like K2, you need to take. I’ve read many of your posts and listened to podcasts with you and Ray but I’m unfortunately still confused. So much information! ?
 

LeeLemonoil

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A caveat and comment:
A keloid scar behaves or better is different then a residual hypertrophic scar („normal“ scarring)
Different cellular mechanisms and alteration.

D seems to regulate the keloid MoA - I doubt it would necessarily achieve functional tissue Back from a hypertrophic scar - but it’s worth trying
 

sun-maid

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Sep 19, 2019
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A neat human study, which demonstrates that topical treatment with vitamin D may treat even large scars that have been present on the skin for years. Many people have such scars as a result of surgery, trauma, chemical/heat burns, radiation, etc. As the study says, the typical treatment is with cortisol injections, however the effectiveness is less than 10%, and the only other option is cosmetic surgery, which of course leaves scars of its own and can hardly be considered a "solution". Humble vitamin D may come to the rescue and even though the study used injections of the vitamin into the scar, topical administration of vitamin D has also been found to achieve high skin concentrations. The dosage used in the study was 200,000 of vitamin D3, and all that was needed was 3-4 sessions of such treatment. The mechanism of action, as expected, was the antifibrotic effects of vitamin D, which I have discussed many times in my posts. The study abstract does not mention timing/duration but considering mos doctors prescribe 50,000 IU weekly, this suggests the study used the 200,000 IU once monthly and as such the treatment duration was 3-4 months. There is no reason why the same effects cannot be achieved with daily treatments using lower doses, which means daily topical administration of 10,000 IU - 15,000 IU of vitamin D3 (higher dose than the 200,000 / 30 in order to account for absorption of less than 100% through the skin) should be able to achieve similar results.

Role of vitamin D in treatment of keloid - PubMed
The Role of Vitamin D in Keloid Scar Treatment

"...A recent study in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology examines the safety and efficacy of using vitamin D intralesional injection for the treatment of keloid scars. Treating keloid scars continue to be a particular challenge for dermatologists due to the scars 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 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 scares. Additionally, ultrasound is useful in assessing keloid improvement after treatment."

Do you think it can help with Eczema, skin redness and other skin problem? @haidut
 
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Peatness

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I had a swollen gland in my neck at the weekend. I robbed 2 drops of vitamin D (4000 iu) on it. When I woke the next morning the gland was back to normal. I was pretty impressed.
 

teds

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Jun 5, 2017
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Might try this
Let us know how it goes. It mentions 200000iu- how will you get this? I was reading it thinking, ‘ok, so I dump a few bottles of D3 on my skin’..

The studies mention intralesional injections into keloid scar..

Anyway - Pls let us know if what you try is effective! :)
 

superhappy

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So would applying a copious amount of D3 on your scalp after using a dermastamp or dermapen help regrow hair?
 

Lejeboca

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Only mild short term side effects were observed:
the main side effects of vitamin D injection were pain, tenderness, swelling, and burning sensations at the injection site. They appeared within 24 hours after injection and lasted for 2 days resolving spontaneously or by hot fomentation. They appeared in 21 patients out of 40 (52%).

The visual results from just 4 sessions of injections are impressive:

1642204608056.png

1642204757853.png

1642204824861.png

The authors speculate that
The study [9] reported that 25(OH) vitamin D levels showed a progressive decline after burn injuries. It would be interesting in future studies to determine whether vitamin D deficiency is predictive of abnormal scar formation.
 

Xemnoraq

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I would love to see (and would even volunteer) for vitamin D injections into the fibrotic tissues on the scalp where hair loss has occured to see if it could regrow hair by reversing the fibrosis
 

Peatfan69

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Feb 26, 2018
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I would love to see (and would even volunteer) for vitamin D injections into the fibrotic tissues on the scalp where hair loss has occured to see if it could regrow hair by reversing the fibrosis
you can buy d3 powder and dissolve in dmso or olive oil/ethanol and apply it directly, no? dont think you have to inject as most topical penetrate the scalp fine....
 
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@haidut Would using Calcirol be effective for this? I have a small dark scar on my penis shaft from excessive masturbation when I was younger (teens) it has been there for years.
 

Judd Crane

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The mechanism of action, as expected, was the antifibrotic effects of vitamin D, which I have discussed many times in my posts.
Any anti-fibrotic substances, such as androgens, might be effective for scar healing?
 

NationalPeatism

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I have been putting Vitamin D from idealabs on my scars for a few weeks. Most of them look the same but one small scar on my foot is fading rapidly
 
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