| Service | Prices |
|---|---|
| Occupational Health Assessment | from £495 |
| Visa Medicals | POA |
| HGV (D4) Medical | £150 |
| Fit to Fly Assessment | £100 |
| Letters (inc. Sick Notes & Referrals) | £100 |
| Other Letters/Reports | from £195 |
KELOID SCAR TREATMENT
Raised scars that keep coming back, treated properly rather than simply cut out.
A keloid is a scar that grows beyond the boundary of the original wound and does not regress. It differs from a hypertrophic scar, which stays within the original wound and often flattens over time.
Also known as: keloid removal, keloid excision, intralesional steroid injection, hypertrophic scar treatment.
A keloid is a scar that keeps growing after the wound has healed, spreading beyond the original injury into normal skin. It is not just a big scar; it is a scar that did not know when to stop. This matters for one reason above all: cutting a keloid out on its own tends to produce a bigger keloid. Recurrence after surgery alone is very high. Effective treatment combines methods, and that is what this page covers. All treatment on this page is for adults aged 18 and over.
Why keloids are different from ORDINARY SCARS
Every wound leaves a scar. A keloid happens when the healing process overshoots and doesn't switch off.
Clinically, the key distinction is between a keloid and a hypertrophic scar. A hypertrophic scar is raised but stays within the original wound boundary, and it often flattens over a year or two on its own. A keloid grows past the original wound into surrounding normal skin, and it does not regress. They can be itchy and tender, and they keep expanding.
Keloids are more common in some people than others, particularly in darker skin, and they run in families. They favour the earlobes and the helix (the rim of the ear), along with the chest, shoulders, upper back, and jawline, and they commonly follow previous surgical scars, a caesarean scar, or a piercing. Earlobe keloids after piercing are the single most common presentation we see, and they are also among the most treatable. Which type you have changes the plan entirely, which is why the assessment is not a formality.
Is it a keloid, or a piercing bump?
This is the most common question we are asked, and the answer changes what you should do. After a piercing, especially the nose, ear cartilage or belly button, a lump can appear, and it is not always a keloid.
- An irritation bump, or a granuloma, tends to appear soon after the piercing, stays small, sits right at the piercing site, and often settles with good aftercare or once the jewellery is changed.
- A keloid grows over weeks and months, spreads beyond the piercing itself into normal skin, is firm and does not settle on its own, and is more likely if you or your family keloid easily.
If you are not sure which you have, an assessment can clarify it, and it is worth doing early because a true keloid is easier to treat when it is young than after years of growth. Do not try to remove a piercing bump or keloid yourself, and be cautious about changing or removing jewellery without advice, as that can make things worse.
When should you get a
keloid treated?
Earlier is easier. A keloid that has been growing for years is harder to treat than one that started six months ago.
Step 1
It is still growing.
An active keloid responds better than a long-established one.
Step 2
It itches, stings or is tender.
which is common and treatable.
Step 3
It is on your earlobe after a piercing.
the most common and most treatable presentation.
Step 4
It restricts movement.
across a joint or the front of the chest.
Step 5
You have had one cut out before.
and it came back bigger, which tells us surgery alone is not the answer for you.
Step 6
You are planning surgery or a piercing.
and you keloid easily. Preventive treatment planned in advance works far better than treating the result.
How much does keloid treatment cost?
Keloid treatment is best delivered and priced as a course or package rather than session by session, because follow-up injections protect the result, and nobody should decide whether to afford them one at a time. Where surgery is involved, the excision, the steroid injection given at the time, the follow-up reviews and any further injections needed are quoted as one price. The consultation and assessment is £195. Anyone quoting a single fixed price for keloid treatment before seeing the scar is guessing.
Why choose Private Medical Clinic
for keloid treatment?
WE DO NOT CUT AND HOPE.
Surgery alone has a very high recurrence rate. We combine methods.
THE RIGHT DIAGNOSIS FIRST.
Keloids, hypertrophic scars, and piercing bumps need different plans.
INJECTION BEFORE SURGERY.
For many keloids, you don't need to cut at all.
ASSESSED BY A DERMATOLOGIST.
TREATED BY A SPECIALIST TEAM. Dr Khorana and Mr George.
HONEST ABOUT IMPROVEMENT.
The aim is a flatter, softer, less itchy scar, not no scar.
MANAGED OVER MONTHS.
Reviewed through the course, not discharged after one visit.
Otoplasty before and after, PATIENTS REVIEWS
Real reviews for Mr George from Doctify and Google, with the rating and count
- Verified
Exceptional Dr totally understanding…
Exceptional Dr totally understanding totally listened and got the pain.Showing our 4 & 5 star reviews - Verified
Fast appointment
Fast appointment, consultation was not rushed.Showing our 4 & 5 star reviews - Verified
Good and efficient service
I got an appointment immediately on a Saturday. The doctor, Priya, called right on time and was thorough.Showing our 4 & 5 star reviews - Verified
First time coming to the private
First time coming to the private medical clinic in Oxford. Starting with such a warm welcome and professional care.Showing our 4 & 5 star reviews
Keloid questions ANSWERED
Everything you need to know about otoplasty and ear correction surgery, for adults.
Honestly, no. The realistic aim is a scar that is flatter, softer, paler and no longer itchy or growing. Anyone promising complete removal is either describing a hypertrophic scar or overselling.
Not reliably. Silicone gels and sheets can help flatten a scar over time and are a reasonable adjunct, but creams marketed to remove keloids, and natural remedies, have little good evidence and can irritate the skin. For an established keloid, steroid injection is far more effective.
It is uncomfortable rather than painful, and it takes seconds. The scar is often sore for a day or two afterwards.
It can, and it is more noticeable in darker skin, as can slight thinning of the tissue. Both are usually mild, and both are reasons to space treatment properly rather than rush it, which is why a dermatologist leads it.
Sometimes, where it is symptomatic or restricting movement. Keloids treated purely for appearance are generally not NHS funded. We will tell you honestly if we think yours might qualify.
Not necessarily. A bump soon after a piercing that stays small and sits at the site is more likely an irritation bump or granuloma, which often settles. A keloid grows over weeks to months and spreads beyond the piercing into normal skin. An assessment settles which you have, and it is worth doing early.
Surgery alone usually causes recurrence, often larger than the original. Cutting out a keloid creates a fresh wound in skin that has already proven it can overheal. Excision must be combined with steroid injections and ongoing scar management to change that.
It varies with the size and age of the scar, and you get an estimate in writing at your consultation. It is normally a course spaced several weeks apart rather than a single visit.
That is the most common presentation and one of the most treatable. The lobe tolerates excision combined with steroid and pressure well. Re-piercing afterwards needs careful thought, and we will talk you through it.
Book a consultation for a proper diagnosis, a written plan with the number of sessions estimated, and an honest account of what improvement will look like. Currently delivered at our Edgbaston clinic in Birmingham.