Keloid Scars in Pune: Treatment Options and What Actually Works?

Keloids are one of the most frustrating scar types to deal with. They grow beyond the original wound boundary, can continue expanding for months or years, and have a well-known tendency to recur after treatment. But that does not mean they are untreatable. With the right combination of approaches, tailored to the specific keloid and patient, meaningful and long-lasting improvement is achievable. This guide explains what keloids are, why they form, which treatments work and which are overhyped, and what patients in Pune can realistically expect from treatment at Dr. DC Plastic Surgery.

Keloids are raised scars that grow beyond the boundary of the original wound. They do not resolve on their own. First-line treatment is intralesional steroid injections, which flatten most keloids over a series of sessions. Surgical excision is effective but carries a recurrence risk unless combined with post-operative steroids or other adjunctive therapy. Treatment requires patience and often multiple sessions.

What Is a Keloid and How Is It Different from a Hypertrophic Scar?

These two scar types are frequently confused, and the distinction matters because they are treated differently and carry different prognoses.

Hypertrophic scar: Raised, firm, and often red or pink, but confined to the area of the original wound. It does not spread beyond the wound edges. Most hypertrophic scars improve over 12 to 24 months, though some require treatment to accelerate this process.

Keloid: Raised, firm, and extends beyond the boundary of the original wound into surrounding normal skin. It does not regress on its own. It can continue growing months or years after the original injury has healed. It often recurs after incomplete treatment.

The simplest clinical test: look at where the edges of the scar are relative to where the original wound was. If the scar’s edges lie within the wound boundary, it is hypertrophic. If the scar has spread into the surrounding skin that was never injured, it is a keloid.

Who Gets Keloids?

Keloid formation is strongly influenced by genetics and skin type. The condition is significantly more common in people with darker skin (Fitzpatrick skin types IV through VI), with estimates suggesting that people of African, South Asian, and Southeast Asian descent have keloid rates 5 to 15 times higher than people with lighter skin types.

A personal or family history of keloids is the strongest predictor. If a parent or sibling has had keloids, a patient has a meaningfully elevated risk.

Keloids form most commonly in the following locations:

• Earlobes (very common after ear piercing)
• Central chest and sternum (one of the most challenging locations for treatment)
• Upper back and shoulders
• Upper arms
• Jawline and face (less common but particularly distressing)

They can form after any skin trauma including cuts, burns, acne, surgical incisions, vaccinations, and even insect bites in susceptible individuals.

Why Keloids Are Challenging to Treat?

Several factors make keloids difficult:

High recurrence rate after surgery alone. Excising a keloid without adjunctive therapy has a very high recurrence rate, often reported at 45 to 100 percent in published studies. The surgical trauma of excision itself can stimulate a new, often larger keloid to form in the excision site.

Variable response to treatment. Some keloids respond well to steroid injections and flatten significantly. Others respond partially or not at all. Predicting which category a given keloid falls into is not always possible before starting treatment.

Growth persistence. Unlike hypertrophic scars, keloids do not have a natural endpoint. Without treatment, many continue to grow.

Location dependency. Keloids in certain locations (central chest, for example) are significantly more prone to recurrence than those in others (earlobe keloids have the best prognosis after treatment).

Understanding these factors from the outset allows patients to approach treatment with realistic expectations.

Keloid Growing and Not Responding to Creams? It Is Time for a Proper Assessment.

Keloids do not resolve on their own and do not respond to over-the-counter products. A consultation with Dr. Dhruv Chavan gives you a clear diagnosis, a treatment plan tailored to your scar type and location, and an honest timeline for what to expect.

Book a Keloid Consultation at Dr. DC Plastic Surgery | Visit the Keloid Treatment 

Treatment Options: What the Evidence Supports?

Intralesional Steroid Injections (First-Line Treatment)

Triamcinolone acetonide injected directly into the keloid is the most widely used and evidence-supported first-line treatment. Steroids suppress fibroblast activity, reduce collagen synthesis, and decrease inflammation within the scar.

The effect is dose and frequency dependent. Injections are typically given every 4 to 6 weeks over a series of sessions. Most keloids show some degree of flattening and softening after 3 to 4 sessions, though a full response may take 6 to 12 sessions.

Side effects of intralesional steroids include skin atrophy (thinning of the skin around the injection site), hypopigmentation (lightening of the overlying skin), and, less commonly, small blood vessel enlargement. These effects are dose dependent and usually manageable with careful injection technique.

Surgical Excision with Adjunctive Therapy

Surgery alone for keloids has an unacceptably high recurrence rate. Surgery combined with adjunctive therapy immediately post-operatively is far more effective.

The standard protocol at Dr. DC Plastic Surgery involves excising the keloid and injecting triamcinolone directly into the excision site at the time of surgery, followed by a series of post-operative steroid injections at 4 to 6 week intervals. Pressure therapy applied to the site immediately after surgery and maintained for several months also reduces recurrence.

For earlobe keloids, surgery combined with steroid injection and pressure earring use is the most effective combination and produces durable results in most patients.

For chest and shoulder keloids, the recurrence risk after surgery plus steroids remains higher than for earlobe keloids. Additional adjunctive options may be considered.

Silicone Gel and Sheeting

Silicone therapy applied consistently over several months has a clinically meaningful effect on scar height and redness, particularly in hypertrophic scars and early-stage or small keloids. It is often used as part of the maintenance plan following other treatments rather than as a standalone treatment for established keloids.

Pressure Therapy

Applying sustained pressure to a keloid reduces blood flow to the area and limits collagen accumulation. This is most practical for accessible locations such as the earlobes (where pressure earrings are used) and the trunk (where compression garments can be worn). It is less practical for facial keloids.

Laser Therapy

The pulsed dye laser targets the blood vessels within keloids, reducing vascularity and, over several sessions, contributing to flattening and colour improvement. It is typically used as an adjunct to steroid injections rather than as a standalone treatment. Ablative lasers are used with caution in keloid-prone patients as they can trigger new keloid formation.

Radiotherapy

Post-excision radiotherapy (typically delivered within 24 hours of surgical excision) significantly reduces keloid recurrence rates, particularly for large or recurrent keloids that have not responded to other approaches. This is a specialised option that requires coordination between the plastic surgery team and a radiation oncology department.

The Consultation at Dr. DC Plastic Surgery

A keloid consultation with Dr. Dhruv Chavan involves assessing the keloid’s characteristics, duration, growth history, any previous treatment, and the patient’s skin type and medical history.

Based on this assessment, Dr. Dhruv Chavan will:

• Classify the scar (keloid vs hypertrophic, if not already confirmed)
• Recommend the most appropriate treatment combination
• Discuss the treatment timeline honestly, including how many sessions are likely needed and what degree of improvement is realistic
• Explain the maintenance plan to reduce recurrence risk after active treatment

One important principle: keloid treatment is a process, not a single appointment. Patients who approach it expecting one session to resolve the problem are likely to be disappointed. Patients who commit to the full treatment course typically see meaningful improvement.

Dr. DC Plastic Surgery has clinic locations across Pune including Kharadi, Baner, NIBM, Pimple Saudagar, Prabhat Road, and Pune Station, with dedicated keloid treatment available.

Keloid Treatment Clinics Across Pune, Including Kharadi, Baner, Prabhat Road, and Pune Station

Patients from across Pune and from other parts of Maharashtra travel to Dr. DC Plastic Surgery for keloid treatment. With six clinic locations spread across East, West, and central Pune, booking your first session has never been easier.

Find Your Nearest Dr. DC Clinic in Pune | Book Your First Keloid Appointment

What Results Look Like: Realistic Expectations?

For earlobe keloids treated with surgery plus steroid injection and pressure: most patients achieve a flat or near-flat result with a low recurrence rate when the maintenance protocol is followed.

For chest and shoulder keloids: significant flattening and softening is achievable with a combination protocol, but complete resolution is less common and recurrence remains a possibility. The scar will look meaningfully better, but the skin in that area will not return to its original appearance.

For large, long-standing, or previously treated keloids: results depend heavily on the degree of fibrosis, previous treatment history, and skin type. Some patients see excellent responses. Others require a series of treatments over a year or more to achieve a satisfactory result.

The goal is a keloid that is flat, pale, not actively growing, and not causing symptoms. This is achievable for the majority of patients who complete the recommended treatment course.

What to Do If You Are Prone to Keloids?

For patients who know they are keloid-prone, the best approach to any new wound or surgical incision is preventative:

• Minimise wound tension wherever possible
• Apply silicone gel to new wounds early (once the wound surface has closed)
• Use sun protection on new wounds and scars
• Inform any surgeon performing a procedure of your keloid history so that surgical planning can account for incision placement and post-operative scar care

If you are keloid-prone and are considering any surgical procedure, discuss this with Dr. Dhruv Chavan(Plastic Surgeon in Pune) during consultation so that a keloid prevention plan can be built into the post-operative protocol.

Cost of Keloid Treatment in Pune

At Dr. DC Plastic Surgery:

• Intralesional steroid injection (per session): Rs. 2,000 to Rs. 5,000
• Surgical excision with post-operative injection: Rs. 25,000 to Rs. 80,000 depending on size and location
• Laser treatment (per session): Rs. 8,000 to Rs. 20,000

A complete treatment course cost will depend on the number of sessions required, which is assessed at consultation. See the treatment pricing for further guidance.

Keloid Treatment From Rs. 2,000 Per Session — Start with a Consultation to Build Your Plan

Steroid injections, surgery, or a combination protocol — the right approach depends on your keloid’s size, location, and history. Book a consultation to get a personalised treatment plan and realistic cost estimate before committing to anything.

Call +91 99604 341 11

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my keloid come back after treatment? 

Recurrence is a genuine risk, particularly for keloids on the chest and shoulders, and for large or previously treated keloids. The risk is significantly reduced by combining surgery with adjunctive therapy (steroids, pressure, silicone) and maintaining the post-treatment protocol.

How many steroid injection sessions will I need? 

Most patients need 4 to 8 sessions spaced 4 to 6 weeks apart for a meaningful response. Some keloids require more. The treating surgeon will assess response after each session and adjust the plan.

Can keloids be prevented? 

Not entirely. But in keloid-prone individuals, early application of silicone therapy to new wounds, pressure on high-risk areas, and vigilant scar management from the time the wound closes can reduce the likelihood of keloid formation.

Is surgery always necessary? 

No. Many keloids, particularly smaller or more superficial ones, respond satisfactorily to injection-based treatment without surgery. Surgical excision is reserved for keloids that do not respond to conservative treatment, are large enough to warrant excision, or are in locations where surgery plus adjunctive therapy has a good track record.

Book a Consultation

If you have a keloid that concerns you, or have a history of keloid formation and want advice on scar prevention for an upcoming procedure, a consultation is the right starting point. Book a consultation at Dr. DC Plastic Surgery in Pune.

For the broader context on scar treatment, visit the scar revision procedure and keloid treatment.