Mr. Onur Gilleard
Qualifications & Experience
Mr Onur Gilleard is a distinguished consultant plastic surgeon on the GMC specialist register. He previously held an NHS consultant post at St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London, specialising in skin cancer and microsurgical reconstruction. In 2021, Mr Gilleard transitioned from the NHS to dedicate himself fully to private practice, allowing him to focus exclusively on providing personalised, high-quality care to his patients. He is recognised as an expert in laser treatments, having conducted research and developed advanced treatment protocols using cutting-edge laser technology to optimise both clinical outcomes and cosmetic results.
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A keloid is a raised scar that grows beyond the original wound and doesn’t settle on its own.
Here’s the honest headline most pages skip: cutting a keloid out on its own often makes it come back
bigger. That’s why the effective approach isn’t surgery alone — it’s a combination of
careful excision, a planned course of steroid injections, and silicone aftercare to suppress regrowth. This guide
explains what works, what doesn’t, realistic outcomes, recovery and cost.
What a Keloid Is (and Isn’t)
A keloid is an overgrowth of scar tissue — excess collagen laid down after the skin heals — that
extends past the boundaries of the original injury, stays raised, and can be itchy, tender or
cosmetically distressing. The crucial distinction is from a hypertrophic scar, which is also raised
but stays within the wound’s borders and often fades over time. Keloids don’t respect the wound edge and
rarely regress without treatment. They commonly follow ear piercings, acne, surgery, burns or even minor
cuts, and form most often on the earlobes, chest, shoulders and upper back. Our
guide to keloid causes and prevention
goes deeper on why they form and who’s prone.
Why Keloids Are Hard to Treat
Keloids are notorious for recurrence. Simple surgical removal alone has a high rate of coming back
— often worse than before — because the act of cutting is itself another wound that can trigger fresh keloid
formation. That’s the single most important thing to understand before treatment: success isn’t about removing the
lump once, it’s about removing it and then suppressing the tissue’s tendency to over-heal. A
genetic predisposition (keloids are more common in people with darker skin tones and a family history) means the
tendency doesn’t disappear — but it can be managed well. We explain this fully in
why keloids keep coming back.
Treatment Options, Honestly Compared
- Steroid (corticosteroid) injections: a mainstay — they flatten and soften keloids and ease itch, and are often the first-line treatment, sometimes used without surgery for smaller keloids.
- Intralesional excision + steroid protocol: the most effective approach for larger keloids — removing the keloid from within its own borders (sparing healthy skin) then injecting steroid on a planned schedule to hold recurrence down.
- Silicone gel / sheeting: evidence-based aftercare that helps flatten and settle the scar during healing.
- Pressure therapy: useful for ear keloids (pressure earrings) after removal.
- Laser: can improve redness and texture as an adjunct, not a standalone cure.
Anything promising a guaranteed, one-and-done keloid “cure” should be treated with scepticism — the honest goal is
a flat, settled scar with the lowest realistic chance of return.
Our Combination Protocol
At London Skin Clinic, keloid removal is a planned combination treatment, performed under local
anaesthetic by a consultant plastic surgeon:
- Intralesional excision — the keloid is removed from within its borders, without cutting away healthy surrounding skin, and a steroid is injected the same day.
- Second steroid injection at ~2 weeks, when the stitches are removed.
- Final steroid injection at ~6 weeks.
- Silicone gel (e.g. Kelo-cote) from around 3–4 weeks to support the healing scar.
It’s this surgery-plus-suppression sequence — not surgery alone — that gives the best chance of a
lasting, flat result.
“I had a fantastic experience with my keloid removal from start to finish. The whole process was incredibly
smooth and easy, from booking the appointment right through to aftercare. The surgeon was absolutely lovely,
attentive, and made me feel at ease.”— Sharon U.,
verified Google review
Ear Keloids
Keloids on the earlobe — usually after piercings — are one of the most common types we treat, and they respond well
to excision plus the steroid protocol, often with a pressure earring afterwards to discourage
regrowth. See our dedicated guide to
ear keloid removal and preventing recurrence.
Recovery and Aftercare
Removal is a minor, walk-in procedure under local anaesthetic. Afterwards: keep the area clean and
protected, use sunscreen on the healing scar for at least a couple of weeks, and avoid pressure or friction
over it. Stitches come out at around two weeks (with the second steroid injection), and there’s a follow-up at six
weeks for the final injection. Avoid strenuous exercise for about two weeks for torso keloids, or a few days
for face and ear sites. The scar then continues to settle over the following months.
The Treatment Timeline
Keloid treatment is a journey of a few months, not a single appointment — and knowing the shape of
it helps set realistic expectations:
- Day of removal: intralesional excision under local anaesthetic, plus the first steroid injection.
- ~2 weeks: stitches removed and the second steroid injection; silicone gel introduced from around three to four weeks.
- ~6 weeks: the final steroid injection of the planned course.
- Following months: the scar continues to flatten, soften and fade, with any early sign of return treated promptly.
It’s this structured follow-through — rather than the day of surgery alone — that determines the long-term result,
which is why keeping each appointment matters.
What It Costs
- Initial consultation: £100
- Keloid scar removal: from £400
- Larger keloid removal: £550
- Each additional keloid (same visit): £250
The steroid-injection protocol and silicone aftercare are part of the planned treatment; your exact plan and cost
are confirmed at consultation. See the keloid scar removal procedure page
or book a consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can a keloid be removed permanently?
- It can be removed and kept flat for the long term, but no honest clinician promises a guaranteed permanent cure — keloids can recur because the underlying tendency is genetic. Combining excision with a steroid protocol and silicone aftercare gives the best chance of a lasting result.
- Why not just cut the keloid out?
- Because surgery alone has a high recurrence rate — the new incision can itself trigger fresh keloid. That’s why effective treatment pairs removal with steroid injections and silicone to suppress regrowth, rather than relying on excision by itself.
- Do I always need surgery, or can injections alone work?
- Smaller keloids can sometimes be managed with steroid injections alone, which flatten and soften them. Larger or stubborn keloids usually do better with intralesional excision plus the injection protocol. A consultation decides which suits you.
- Is keloid removal painful?
- The procedure is done under local anaesthetic, so the area is numb — you feel pressure, not pain. Steroid injections can sting briefly. Mild soreness afterwards settles with simple painkillers.
- Are keloids more common in darker skin?
- Yes — keloids are more common in people with darker skin tones and those with a family history. This doesn’t prevent treatment, but it does mean prevention and recurrence-suppression are central to the plan.
- How are ear keloids treated?
- Ear (earlobe) keloids, usually from piercings, respond well to excision plus the steroid protocol, often with a pressure earring afterwards to discourage regrowth. They’re one of the most common keloids we treat.
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