Kambo Scars and Gates: Does Kambo Leave Permanent Marks?
One of the questions I am regularly asked before someone's first Kambo ceremony is:
"Will Kambo leave scars?"
The honest answer is that Kambo can leave small permanent marks where the gates have been made.
But they are normally much smaller and less noticeable than people imagine, and how they heal varies enormously from person to person.
If you've seen photographs of somebody immediately after Kambo, the gates can look quite prominent. They are fresh, the surrounding skin may be red and you can clearly see the pattern of dots.
That isn't necessarily what they will look like once healed.
At The Kambo Clinic, I make the gates very lightly. We only need to work with the very top layer of the skin to create the superficial opening needed to apply the Kambo.
A good rule of thumb I give clients is to think about how a mosquito bite heals on your own skin.
Does it disappear without a trace? Does your skin hold onto a little pigmentation? Do bites and scratches tend to leave marks on you for months?
Everybody's skin is different.
WHAT ARE KAMBO GATES?
Before talking about Kambo scars, it's probably helpful to explain what the little dots actually are.
Kambo isn't applied to completely intact skin.
Before the Kambo is placed onto the body, small superficial burns are made. These are called gates.
The heat creates a tiny superficial area on the skin. The very top layer is then gently removed and the Kambo is applied to the gate.
It sounds far worse than it actually is.
The way I describe it to clients is that making a gate feels a little like being very quickly brushed by the end of a cigarette. You feel a brief moment of heat and then it's done.
We aren't trying to create a deep wound.
There should be no reason to make a gate deeper or larger than necessary.
WHERE DO KAMBO GATES COME FROM?
The gates aren't something Western Kambo practitioners invented.
They come from the traditional Amazonian practice of Kambo.
Traditional Kambo applications use small burns as the points through which the secretion is applied.
Traditionally, different Indigenous communities and practitioners have used natural burning materials such as small sticks or smouldering vine to create the gates.
The tools and techniques used today can vary, but the principle remains the same: a small superficial burn creates the gate onto which the Kambo is placed.
HOW DO I MAKE KAMBO GATES AT THE KAMBO CLINIC?
At The Kambo Clinic, I use a very fine Nepalese healing stick that looks a little like an incense stick.
I like using something this fine because I can work very lightly and precisely.
I don't need to press deeply into your skin.
It is a very quick touch.
The intention is simply to remove the superficial layer necessary for the Kambo application, not to create a deep burn.
This matters to me because I've experienced different gate techniques on my own body.
WHAT DO MY OWN KAMBO SCARS LOOK LIKE?
I've had Kambo gates in several areas of my body over the years.
On my arms and legs, they have healed completely to the point that you can't see them.
I do have a few small marks remaining on my back.
And if I'm honest, those particular gates were made either by practitioners who were more heavy-handed with the skin or while we were at practitioner training school, when we were learning and practising our technique on one another.
That's my skin and my personal experience, but it taught me something important about the way I work with clients today.
I know what a heavier gate feels like.
I also know what it can leave behind on my own skin.
So when I'm making gates on somebody else, I work lightly.
There is simply no reason for me to be unnecessarily heavy-handed with your skin.
HOW DO I KNOW HOW MY KAMBO GATES WILL HEAL?
This is where my mosquito-bite rule comes in.
Think about your own skin.
When you get bitten by a mosquito, does the mark disappear completely once it has healed?
Or do you have a little mark that hangs around afterwards?
What happens when you get a small scratch?
Do you develop pigmentation easily?
Do you know that you're somebody who tends to scar?
Your skin already gives you clues about how it heals.
For me personally, some gates have disappeared completely while others haven't.
Yours will have its own healing pattern.
This is why I would never promise somebody that their Kambo gates will completely disappear.
WHAT DO KAMBO SCARS LOOK LIKE?
Fresh gates and healed Kambo gates can look completely different.
Immediately after your ceremony, they will obviously be much more noticeable.
As they heal, tiny scabs can develop. Once those have gone, you may initially see small areas of different pigmentation.
Then give them time.
Many scars naturally become less noticeable as they mature, although no practitioner can guarantee that a particular mark will disappear completely.
Eventually, if marks remain, Kambo scars generally look like a little collection of dots rather than the type of scar you might associate with a cut.
Some people retain visible dots.
For others, they become incredibly faint.
And for some people, like the gates on my arms and legs, you eventually can't see them at all.
ARE KAMBO SCARS PERMANENT?
They can be.
I think it's important to be honest about that before your ceremony.
Any time we deliberately affect the skin, there is a possibility of leaving a mark.
If having a permanent mark would really bother you, tell me.
If you already know that you scar easily or have previously developed raised or keloid scars, tell your practitioner before your gates are made.
That information matters.
WHERE ARE KAMBO GATES PLACED?
There are traditional placements for Kambo gates, including areas of the arm and leg.
But you also have to live with your skin afterwards.
Some clients don't care about having visible Kambo marks. Some actually like them.
Others want their gates somewhere more discreet.
If you regularly wear sleeveless clothes, have a job where you don't want visible marks or simply don't want people asking what the dots are, talk to me.
We can discuss appropriate placement before your ceremony.
WHAT ABOUT KAMBO GATES ON THE EAR?
The ear can also be used for certain applications and the positioning can make small marks quite discreet.
You may hear people say that gates on the ears don't scar because the ear contains cartilage. I wouldn't promise that.
The gate is still being made through skin, and skin can scar.
This is particularly important if you are prone to keloids because the ears are actually one of the areas where keloid scars can occur.
So again, tell me about your skin.
I would rather know before making the gate.
HOW SHOULD I LOOK AFTER KAMBO GATES?
Once the Kambo has been removed, the little gates need to heal.
You may see tiny scabs developing.
Please leave them alone.
Don't pick them because you're impatient for the marks to disappear. Don't start experimenting with products on fresh gates because somebody on social media said something will prevent scarring.
Keep them clean and follow the aftercare guidance your practitioner gives you.
Then let your skin heal.
CAN KAMBO GATES BECOME INFECTED?
Any time the protective barrier of the skin is opened, hygiene matters.
Your practitioner should work hygienically when creating and handling your gates, and you need to look after them appropriately afterwards.
If you notice increasing redness, warmth, swelling, worsening pain, discharge or anything else that concerns you, don't ignore it.
At The Kambo Clinic, you have access to practitioner aftercare following your ceremony.
If you're looking at your gates afterwards thinking, "Claire, is this normal?", ask me.
That's what aftercare is there for.
WHAT IF MY KAMBO SCARS STILL BOTHER ME ONCE THEY HAVE HEALED?
First, give them time.
The way your gates look shortly after your ceremony isn't necessarily how they will look several months later.
If the skin is completely healed and the remaining marks genuinely bother you, there are professional cosmetic treatments used for some types of scars.
Microneedling is one of them.
Professional microneedling uses tiny needles to stimulate collagen production and is used for certain types of scars.
You may hear this referred to as a microneedling pen, skin roller or dermaroller.
But I wouldn't start rolling over your fresh Kambo gates.
Let them heal completely first.
If you are considering microneedling later, particularly if you scar easily, speak to an appropriately qualified skin professional rather than automatically treating the area yourself.
CAN LASER HELP KAMBO SCARS?
Potentially.
Laser and light treatments are used by skin professionals and dermatologists for different types of scarring and pigmentation.
They cannot guarantee that a scar will completely disappear, and the appropriate treatment will depend on the type of mark and your skin.
So if months have passed, your gates are completely healed and you still dislike a mark, a dermatologist or appropriately qualified skin specialist can assess your skin and tell you whether laser, professional microneedling or another treatment is appropriate.
I wouldn't rush into doing anything.
Give your skin the opportunity to heal naturally first.
WHAT IF I AM PRONE TO KELOID SCARS?
This needs a separate mention.
If you know you develop keloids, please tell your practitioner before having gates made.
And don't assume that using a microneedling roller afterwards will solve the problem.
Microneedling creates additional tiny injuries in the skin and may not be suitable for somebody with a history of keloid scarring.
Keloids also have their own professional treatment options, including certain laser and dermatological treatments.
This is an area where I would always suggest getting professional skin advice rather than experimenting at home.
DOES HAVING KAMBO MORE THAN ONCE MEAN MORE SCARS?
Not necessarily.
If you return for another ceremony, existing gates may sometimes be suitable for reuse depending on how they have healed, how much time has passed and what your practitioner considers appropriate.
It doesn't automatically mean making an entirely new collection of gates every time you have Kambo.
If you are considering several ceremonies and scarring is important to you, talk about it with your practitioner at the beginning.
SHOULD I BE WORRIED ABOUT KAMBO SCARS?
For most of my clients, the gates become a very small part of the overall experience.
But that doesn't mean we should pretend they don't exist.
We are deliberately creating small superficial burns in your skin.
There is a possibility that a mark will remain.
You deserve to know that beforehand.
Ask your practitioner how they make their gates.
Ask where they intend to place them.
Tell them how your skin normally heals.
Tell them if you have a history of keloids.
Ask what the gates may look like afterwards.
And ask about aftercare.
There is nothing superficial about caring what happens to your skin.
It's your body.
Of course you can ask.
KAMBO GATES AT THE KAMBO CLINIC
At The Kambo Clinic, I will talk you through the gates before your ceremony.
I make them lightly and carefully, and we can discuss placement, how your skin normally heals and what you can expect afterwards.
My own body is a good example of why I won't make promises about scarring.
The gates on my arms and legs have disappeared completely.
I have a few little marks on my back from heavier-handed applications and from our days practising on one another during practitioner training.
Your skin will have its own response.
Think about how mosquito bites, scratches and other little marks normally heal on you. That gives us useful information before we begin.
And remember that the fresh dots you see immediately after Kambo aren't necessarily what you're going to be looking at months later.
Give them time.
Let them heal.
If a healed scar genuinely bothers you later, professional options such as microneedling or laser treatment may be worth discussing with a qualified skin professional.
If you are considering Kambo with me, Claire Anstey, at The Kambo Clinic in Beckenham, South East London, please ask me about the gates if they're something you're worried about.
There are no silly questions when it comes to understanding what is going to happen to your body.
You can also read my guide to Kambo aftercare here:
https://www.thekamboclinic.com/claire-ansteys-blog/kambo-aftercare-what-to-expect-after-kambo
If you are looking for an experienced Kambo practitioner and cant get to me, Claire Anstey at The Kambo Clinic, you can read my guide to choosing a practitioner here:
https://www.thekamboclinic.com/claire-ansteys-blog/kambo-practitioner-near-me
And you can find out more about Kambo ceremonies and booking with myself, Claire Anstey at The Kambo Clinic here: