Will keloid injection treatment make the scar disappear?
Keloid injection treatment reduces thickness, itching and pain rather than erasing the scar. Myongji Best Plastic Surgery Clinic in Myeongji-dong, Busan summarizes what it can achieve, sessions and intervals, side effects such as skin atrophy and color change, combination after excision and recurrence monitoring.
Quick answer
Keloid injection treatment (intralesional steroid injection) reduces thickness, itching and pain rather than removing the scar completely. The American Academy of Dermatology notes that 50 to 80% of keloids shrink after injection but many of them regrow within five years, so Myongji Best Plastic Surgery Clinic combines injections with laser, pressure, silicone or excision according to the scar and watches for recurrence after treatment.
Why it matters now
A keloid grows beyond the wound and does not fade with time, so it is important to know before treatment whether one injection is enough and how much improvement to expect. Repeating injections alone can cause side effects such as skin atrophy or color change, and excision alone almost always leads to regrowth, so the combination of treatments should be planned from the start.
Does a keloid injection make the scar disappear completely?
The goal of keloid injection treatment is not to erase the scar but to lower its height, soften it and reduce itching and pain. The American Academy of Dermatology explains that 50 to 80% of keloids shrink after injection and the first injections mainly relieve symptoms, but many of the shrunken keloids regrow within five years. The UK NHS also notes that a keloid cannot be removed, but treatment can improve its appearance and reduce irritation.
| If this is your situation | Option to consider | Evidence and limits |
|---|---|---|
| A thick keloid with itching or pain | Option to considerRepeated injections at set intervals | Evidence and limitsPer the American Academy of Dermatology, 50 to 80% shrink but many regrow within five years. Even when flattened, a mark and color may remain. |
| Thickness or redness remains after injections | Option to considerInjections combined with laser, pressure or silicone | Evidence and limitsThe American Academy of Dermatology notes that using two or more treatments often improves results. Laser works on height and color. |
| Large or hanging keloid that injections do not shrink | Option to considerSurgical excision followed by injections, laser or pressure | Evidence and limitsExcision alone leads to regrowth in nearly 100% of cases; in a meta-analysis, injections after excision had lower recurrence than injections before or during excision. |
| Injected skin becomes thin or lighter | Option to considerAdjusting interval or dose, or reviewing other options | Evidence and limitsA meta-analysis reports that higher triamcinolone concentrations are more likely to cause skin atrophy and telangiectasia. |
How many keloid injections are needed, and at what interval?
Keloid injections are usually planned as a series rather than a single shot. The American Academy of Dermatology explains that patients usually receive a series of injections and gives the example of four sessions every 2 to 3 weeks before surgery. Myongji Best Plastic Surgery Clinic sets the number and interval based on the scar's size, location and response to previous treatment.
American Academy of Dermatology guidance
Patients usually receive a series of injections, and the first ones tend to relieve symptoms and soften the keloid.
Studies after ear keloid excision
A meta-analysis of 45 studies summarized that triamcinolone after excision requires 4 to 6 monthly injections.
Injection pain
We found no published figures comparing the pain of the injection itself. If pain worries you, tell the doctor beforehand.
Can keloid injections thin the skin or change its color?
Intralesional steroid injections can cause skin atrophy (thinning at the injection site), lightening of the skin and telangiectasia (visible fine blood vessels). The American Academy of Dermatology notes that light spots can develop at the injection site in people with darker skin tones, and meta-analyses of randomized trials also report that triamcinolone causes skin atrophy and telangiectasia more often than other agents.
Skin atrophy
The injected area can become thin or look sunken, and this is more likely at higher concentrations.
Color change
Hypopigmentation, where the injected area becomes lighter than the surrounding skin, is reported.
Telangiectasia
Fine blood vessels may become visible as thread-like lines.
How to reduce them
Concentration and interval are adjusted or other agents and treatments are combined, and the injection site is checked at every visit.
How does Myongji Best Plastic Surgery Clinic carry out keloid injection treatment, and what does it cost?
Myongji Best Plastic Surgery Clinic checks the keloid's location, size, thickness, color, symptoms and skin tension, then combines the needed options among injections, laser, pressure therapy, silicone sheets, cryotherapy and surgical excision according to the scar. Even after excision, injections, laser or pressure care are often continued, and changes in thickness, color, pain and itching are checked regularly after treatment.
The clinic's published non-covered fee list does not have a separate entry for keloid injection treatment. The cost depends on the size and number of scars, the number of injections and any combined treatment, so it is confirmed with the full plan after examination, and non-covered fees may change.
What do the numbers say about the results and side effects of keloid injections?
Myongji Best Plastic Surgery Clinic has no published statistics on keloid injection results or side effects. The American Academy of Dermatology notes that 50 to 80% shrink after injection, and meta-analyses of randomized trials report that triamcinolone works in the short term but causes more skin atrophy, telangiectasia and hypopigmentation than other agents.
Myongji Best Plastic Surgery Clinic data
Keloid injection results and side-effect statistics: no published data
American Academy of Dermatology
Between 50 and 80% of keloids shrink after injection, but many of them regrow within five years.
Zhuang et al., 2021 meta-analysis (15 randomized trials)
Triamcinolone may help in the short term, but 5-FU, 5-FU plus triamcinolone and verapamil produced better medium- and long-term results, and triamcinolone at 20 or 40 mg/ml was more likely to cause skin atrophy and telangiectasia.
Zhang et al., 2023 meta-analysis (9 randomized trials, 567 patients)
Triamcinolone improved height within 9 weeks and pliability within 18 weeks more than verapamil, but had higher rates of skin atrophy, telangiectasia and hypopigmentation.
Zhang et al., 2024 meta-analysis (combined with excision)
Injection after excision had significantly lower recurrence than injection during excision (p<0.001) or before excision (p=0.009). Level of evidence IV.
Reading these numbers
Drug concentration, interval and scar location differ between studies, so the figures cannot be applied directly, and many analyses include hypertrophic scars as well.
Are injections alone enough, and what if the keloid grows again?
In some cases injections alone reduce thickness and symptoms enough and the result holds, but the American Academy of Dermatology notes that many shrunken keloids regrow within five years and nearly 100% return after excision alone. Myongji Best Plastic Surgery Clinic therefore continues injections, laser or pressure after excision and manages factors that affect recurrence, such as high skin tension, repeated friction, piercing irritation and inflammation or infection of the wound.
Factors that affect recurrence
Areas of high skin tension, repeated friction, piercing irritation, inflammation or infection of the wound
Changes to watch after treatment
Thickness, color, pain, itching
Signs that need another visit
When the scar keeps thickening or turns a deeper red, when itching or pain recurs or the area spreads, or when the treated area bulges again
The drug and concentration, number and interval of injections, and combination with other treatments depend on the scar's location, size and response to previous treatment, so the medical team sets the plan after examination.
Frequently asked questions
Do keloid injections hurt?
Injection pain varies with how firm the scar is, its location and the individual, and the published sources we checked give no figures comparing injection pain. If pain worries you, tell the doctor beforehand and discuss how to manage it.
How long after a keloid injection do you see results?
The American Academy of Dermatology explains that the first injections mainly relieve symptoms and soften the keloid. In a meta-analysis of randomized trials, triamcinolone improved vascularity and pliability from 3 weeks and reduced height within 9 weeks, but the speed of response differs from scar to scar.
How do I care for a keloid after injections?
Follow the silicone or pressure instructions you were given and avoid scratching or repeatedly pulling the treated area, friction and piercing irritation. Check whether thickness, color, pain or itching increases again, and report any change before your next visit.
About the clinic behind this article
Myongji Best Plastic Surgery Clinic is a board-certified plastic surgery clinic in Myeongji-dong, Gangseo-gu, Busan. Dr. Hyungseok Noh, board-certified plastic surgeon and medical director, provides care.
- Address
- Units 302–305, Building 1, 3 Myeongji-gukje 2-ro 28beon-gil, Gangseo-gu, Busan
- Main Line
- 051-711-7991
- Clinic Hours
- Weekdays AM 10:00 ~ PM 07:30Saturday AM 10:00 ~ PM 03:00Sundays & Public Holidays Closed
- Treatment guide
- View the keloid treatment page
- Booking
- Naver Booking
REFERENCES
References
This article uses the clinic’s published information together with authoritative medical sources.
- Myongji Best Plastic Surgery ClinicKeloid treatment guide
Supports: Treatment options including injections, combination after excision, recurrence factors and changes to watch, changes that need a visit
Treatment is chosen according to the scar, and injections, laser or pressure care are often continued even after excision.
- American Academy of DermatologyKeloids: Diagnosis and treatment
Supports: Shrinkage rate after injection and regrowth within five years, a series of injections, four sessions every 2 to 3 weeks before surgery, light spots at the injection site, recurrence after excision alone, combining treatments
Between 50% and 80% of keloids shrink after being injected. Many of these keloids, however, will regrow within five years.
- American Academy of DermatologyKeloid scars: Overview
Supports: Keloids do not fade with time and need treatment
Unlike a hypertrophic scar, a keloid doesn't fade with time.
- NHSKeloid scars
Supports: A keloid cannot be removed, but treatment can improve its appearance and irritation
You cannot get rid of a keloid scar, but there are treatments that can help improve how it looks and reduce irritation.
- PubMedThe safety and efficacy of intralesional triamcinolone acetonide for keloids and hypertrophic scars: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Zhuang Z, Li Y, Wei X. Burns. 2021;47(5):987-998. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2021.02.013. PMID: 33814214
Supports: Short-term effect of triamcinolone and medium- to long-term comparison, skin atrophy and telangiectasia by concentration (15 randomized trials)
TAC injections at concentrations of 20 mg/ml or 40 mg/ml are more likely to result in skin atrophy compared to 5-FU or verapamil, and are more likely to cause telangiectasia than 5-FU, 5-FU+TAC, or bleomycin.
- PubMedEfficacy and Safety of Verapamil Versus Triamcinolone Acetonide in Treating Keloids and Hypertrophic Scars: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Zhang W, Li X, Li X. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2023;47(1):473-482. doi:10.1007/s00266-022-03229-3. PMID: 36562775
Supports: When triamcinolone improves height, pliability and vascularity, and rates of skin atrophy, telangiectasia and hypopigmentation (9 randomized trials, 567 patients)
Verapamil group showed a significantly lower incidence of skin atrophy, telangiectasia, and hypopigmentation compared with TAC group.
- PubMedRecurrence and Complications of Peri-operative Steroid Injection of Keloids: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Zhang Y, Wu M, Liu D, et al. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2024;48(15):2927-2940. doi:10.1007/s00266-024-03935-0. PMID: 38561576
Supports: Recurrence by timing of steroid injection combined with excision
post-operative steroid injection after surgical excision results in lower keloid recurrence compared to pre- and intra-operative injection
- PubMedWhich Adjuvant Modality Is Superior after Auricular Keloid Excision: Radiotherapy or Triamcinolone? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Choi SH, Kim IK, Kim SE. Facial Plast Surg Aesthet Med. 2026. doi:10.1177/26893614251410542. PMID: 41636029
Supports: Number of triamcinolone injections after ear keloid excision (45 studies, 1,885 lesions)
triamcinolone requires 4-6 monthly injections and shows progressive loss of long-term effectiveness
Published 2026.10.23Last updated 2026.10.23