Keloid Scar

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Surgical Treatment at Swift Access Health

Keloid Scar Treatment

Keloid scars are abnormal overgrowths of scar tissue that extend beyond the boundary of the original wound. They can develop after any skin injury — including piercings, surgical incisions, acne, burns, or minor trauma — and are more common in people with darker skin tones and those with a personal or family history of keloid formation. Keloids can become large, raised, itchy, painful, and disfiguring, and unlike hypertrophic scars, they do not regress over time without treatment.

At Swift Access Health, keloid scars are treated by consultant dermatologists or plastic surgeons with extensive specialist experience. Effective approaches combine surgical excision with either intralesional steroid injections or next-day radiotherapy to significantly reduce the risk of recurrence — a major risk that exists with surgery alone. The appropriate adjuvant treatment is agreed with each patient individually based on the scar’s site, size, and their clinical history.

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Info

Time

30–60 minutes for surgical excision depending on size and site

Results

Removal of keloid with improved contour; recurrence risk significantly reduced with adjuvant treatment

Risks

Recurrence (especially without adjuvant therapy), infection, minor bleeding, altered sensation

Recovery

5–14 days for wound healing; adjuvant treatment begins within 24–48 hours of surgery

Anaesthetic

Local anaesthetic for surgery; steroid injections administered without sedation

Aftercare

Pressure dressings, ongoing steroid injections where indicated, sun protection, scar massage

Why Choose Swift Access Health

Benefits of Keloid Scar Surgery

Expert surgical management of keloid scars combined with targeted adjuvant therapy offers the best chance of permanent resolution and a significantly improved cosmetic outcome.

  • Consultant dermatologist or plastic surgeon with specialist expertise in complex scar excision and reconstruction
  • Surgery always combined with adjuvant treatment — steroid injections or next-day radiotherapy — to minimise recurrence risk
  • Personalised treatment plan based on scar site, size, and individual patient history
  • Meticulous surgical technique to minimise tension and optimise wound healing
  • Post-operative pressure therapy and scar management advice to support long-term results
  • Clear follow-up pathway with ongoing support throughout the recovery and adjuvant treatment period
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Your Patient Journey

1. Your
Consultation

Your surgeon will examine the keloid scar, review your medical history, and assess any previous treatments. The surgical approach and the choice of adjuvant treatment — steroid injections or next-day radiotherapy — will be explained and agreed. Photographs are taken and the procedure, risks, and expected outcomes are discussed in full before consent is obtained.

Your Patient Journey

2. Your
Treatment

Under local anaesthetic, the keloid is carefully excised, preserving healthy surrounding tissue. The wound is closed with sutures. Either at the end of the procedure or on the following day, adjuvant treatment is administered: intralesional corticosteroid injection is given at the wound site, or the patient attends for a single fraction of radiotherapy targeted precisely to the surgical site. Both approaches significantly reduce the chance of keloid recurrence.

Your Patient Journey

3. Aftercare

The surgical site must be kept dry for 48 hours. Pressure dressings should be worn consistently where applicable. Sutures are removed after 7–14 days. Ongoing monthly steroid injections may be recommended for several months following surgery. The area must be protected from sun exposure. Follow-up appointments monitor healing and scar maturation.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Keloids result from an abnormal wound healing response in which the body produces excessive collagen. They extend beyond the original wound boundary and do not resolve on their own. Genetic predisposition plays a significant role — keloids are more common in people with darker skin tones and those with a family history of keloid formation.

  • Surgery alone carries a significant risk of stimulating a more aggressive keloid to regrow. Combining excision with either steroid injections or next-day radiotherapy disrupts the abnormal scar-forming process and dramatically reduces the risk of recurrence. This combined approach is the current gold standard.

  • Next-day radiotherapy involves a single, precisely targeted dose of low-dose radiation delivered to the surgical site within 24 hours of excision, before new scar tissue begins to form. The radiation field is small and the dose is calibrated to minimise any risk to surrounding structures. It is a well-established treatment for keloid prevention and is offered in selected cases.

  • Yes, for smaller or early keloids. Intralesional steroid injections (triamcinolone) alone can flatten and soften keloids over a course of monthly injections. Silicone sheeting and pressure therapy may also provide benefit. However, larger or established keloids usually require surgical excision combined with adjuvant treatment.

  • The risk of recurrence is significantly reduced — but not eliminated — by combining surgery with adjuvant therapy. Patients are monitored closely and additional steroid injections may be administered if early signs of recurrence are detected. Following aftercare advice, including pressure therapy and sun protection, is important.

  • Keloids can be treated at most body sites. Certain locations — such as the chest, shoulders, and upper back — carry a higher inherent risk of recurrence regardless of treatment. Your surgeon will discuss site-specific considerations and adjust the management plan accordingly.

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