Keloid Scar Removal
Keloid Scar Treatment from £250
Keloid scars are one of the most frustrating scar types because they don’t just “settle down” with time. Instead, they can keep growing beyond the original wound, become raised and shiny, and cause itching, tenderness, or even pain. They’re common after things like piercings, acne spots, surgery, burns, or any injury that breaks the skin — and they’re more likely if you’ve had a keloid before, if you’re aged roughly 10–30, and in people with darker skin tones.
At CLNQ, we take a practical approach: confirm you’re dealing with a keloid or hypertrophic scars, understand what’s driving it (location, size, symptoms, previous treatments), and then build a plan using the options that have the best outcomes — usually combining treatments rather than relying on just one.
Book a keloid scar consultation at CLNQ
If you have a raised scar that’s growing, itchy, or affecting your confidence, the most helpful next step is a proper assessment and a plan designed around your scar type and your recurrence risk.
CLNQ offers keloid scar assessment and treatment in Manchester and Cheshire, with options including steroid injections, laser therapies (PDL/YAG, CO₂), and carefully selected surgical keloid excision for appropriate cases.
Table of Contents
What is a keloid scar?
A keloid is an overgrowth of scar tissue that extends beyond the edges of the original injury. That’s one of the key features that separates a keloid from a hypertrophic scar (which is raised but usually stays within the original wound boundary and tends to improve over time).
Keloids happen when the skin’s wound-healing response is overactive, with excess collagen production as the scar matures. The exact trigger isn’t fully understood, but there are strong patterns and risk factors.
Risk factors
Previous keloids (the best predictor of future keloids)
Skin type and genetics (more common in darker skin tones; a family tendency can exist)
Age (often starts between puberty and around age 30)
Body site (upper chest, shoulders, upper arms, neck, earlobes are higher risk)
Wound tension / poor healing (infection, delayed healing, irritation, or tension across a wound can raise risk)
Keloids can:
start weeks after an injury, or appear months later (sometimes even longer)
continue to grow for months or years
feel firm or rubbery and look shiny, hairless, and raised
Common areas include earlobes (especially after piercing), jawline/neck, chest and shoulders, upper trunk, and sometimes lower legs.
Symptoms: how keloids feel
People often think of keloids as “cosmetic”, but symptoms can be very real:
itching (common while it’s growing)
tenderness or pain
tightness and occasionally restriction near joints
emotional impact (confidence, clothing choices, social discomfort)
The goal of treatment is typically to flatten and soften the scar, reduce redness and symptoms, and prevent regrowth — rather than promising “complete removal”, which isn’t realistic for many keloids.
Keloid scar removal options
There isn’t one single “best” option for every keloid. The best results usually come from the right combination, matched to the scar and your risk profile Below are the main options we use and why.
Steroid injections
Steroid injections (commonly triamcinolone) are widely used to reduce inflammation, flatten raised scar tissue, and improve itching. At CLNQ, these are often the first step, especially for active, itchy, raised keloids.
What to expect
A course of treatments is usually needed. CLNQ commonly advises sessions every 4–6 weeks.
You may need multiple sessions before you see meaningful flattening (months rather than days).
Possible downsides
Steroid injections can cause local side effects such as thinning of the skin, small visible vessels, and lightening or darkening of skin colour.
Laser treatment
Lasers can be useful in the treatment of keloid scar, but it needs to be the right laser for the right job.
At CLNQ:
Vascular lasers (such as PDL or YAG) can help reduce redness and make a keloid less noticeable.
CO₂ (ablative) lasers can help debulk (reduce the bulk/height) in selected cases.
Laser is often even more effective when paired with injections for raised, symptomatic scars.
Silicone gel or sheets and pressure therapy
Silicone dressings/gels can help improve scar symptoms and flattening for some people, and they’re commonly used as supportive therapy in scar management.
Compression (pressure) is particularly relevant:
Mayo Clinic notes compression dressings can be used for newer keloids and after surgery, but they need to be worn 12–24 hours a day for 4–6 months, which many people find uncomfortable.
For ear keloids, pressure earrings are sometimes used after treatment as part of recurrence prevention.
Surgery (excision)
Surgical removal can be appropriate, especially for large, bulky, or functionally annoying keloids (for example, an ear keloid catching on hair or glasses). CLNQ lists surgery as an option, but also highlights the key issue: recurrence risk is high, and in some cases regrowth can be worse.
The NHS similarly warns that surgery is not usually recommended as a standalone approach because the keloid is likely to grow back bigger.
So when we do consider excision, we usually talk about it as:
excision + recurrence prevention, rather than excision alone
This might include steroid injections afterwards, pressure therapy, silicone, and/or laser depending on the case.
Keloid Scar Removal FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Are keloid scars dangerous?
They’re not usually medically dangerous, but they can be painful/itchy and can sometimes restrict movement if they sit near a joint.
Can you completely remove a keloid scar?
Many keloids can be significantly improved, but “complete removal with zero recurrence risk” is not realistic. Surgery alone often has a high recurrence risk, which is why combined plans are commonly used.
How many steroid injections will I need?
It varies, but courses are commonly delivered at 4–6 weekly intervals over several months, depending on response.
Do home treatments work?
Silicone gels/sheets can help some scars, particularly as supportive therapy, but established keloids usually need medical treatment to significantly flatten and settle.
Is laser safe for darker skin?
It can be, but device choice and settings matter. Pigment changes are a known risk with some treatments (including cryotherapy and steroid injections), so assessment and cautious planning are important.
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