Keloid Removal

No — and this is the most important thing to understand before booking anywhere. Excision alone re-injures keloid-prone skin, and the scar frequently regrows larger than the original. Doctor-led removal means injection-led treatment to flatten and soften the scar, with surgery reserved for selected cases — such as narrow-based earlobe keloids — and always paired with adjuvant injections.

Yes — that is the recommended first step. Send a clear, well-lit photo straight-on and one from an angle, and mention how long the scar has been growing and whether it itches or hurts. A doctor can usually give a preliminary view of what removal would involve; the definitive protocol and written quote follow your in-clinic assessment.

Injecting into firm scar tissue is briefly uncomfortable — most patients describe pressure and stinging for a few seconds per injection point. Numbing options are available for sensitive sites. Sessions are short, and many patients find the itch relief over the following weeks well worth it.

Most keloids need a series of injection sessions spaced four to six weeks apart, with visible flattening building gradually. Small, young keloids respond faster; large, old ones take longer and may need laser added. Your doctor estimates a realistic course at your assessment and reviews progress at each visit.

Symptoms usually improve first — itch and tenderness often ease within the first session or two. Visible flattening and softening typically become apparent over the following sessions and build across the course. Progress is compared against photographs at each review so change is measured, not guessed.

Earlobe keloids are among the most treatable — and the one site where surgical excision is most often appropriate, because many grow on a narrow base. Even then, excision is paired with adjuvant injection therapy around the procedure, since removal without follow-up is how earlobe keloids return larger. Re-piercing is discussed honestly as part of the plan.

A hypertrophic scar stays within the boundary of the original wound and often flattens somewhat on its own over time; a keloid grows beyond the wound's borders and keeps growing. The distinction matters because protocols and expectations differ — and it is one of the first things the doctor confirms at assessment.

Recurrence is the central challenge of keloid care, which is why single-method treatment so often disappoints. Combination protocols with a maintenance phase exist precisely to keep the scar flat once it has responded. Your doctor gives you the honest recurrence picture for your specific scar — including which sites and scar types need closer follow-up.

Largely, yes, with planning: avoiding non-essential piercings and tattoos in high-risk areas, treating acne early so lesions never scar, and telling any surgeon about your keloid tendency so wounds are managed proactively. Prevention counselling is part of the protocol, not an afterthought.

DrPlus treats keloids at our Johor Bahru clinic in Malaysia and at our Singapore clinics in Tanjong Pagar and on the East Coast. The protocol is the same doctor-led standard at every location — choose whichever is more convenient and WhatsApp a photo to start.

We do not publish prices because the plan depends on the number, size, and age of your keloids and the sessions your protocol needs. WhatsApp us a photo and we can outline what removal would involve; a personalised written quote follows your assessment at the clinic you choose.