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CION Cancer Clinics
Keloid and thickened scars after cancer surgery | CION Cancer Clinics
A keloid is a scar that keeps growing after the wound has healed, spreading past the line of the cut. It can be treated. Silicone, pressure and steroid injections into the scar are usually tried first, and a keloid often softens and flattens, though rarely vanishes. This page explains how to tell a keloid from a thickened scar, what is used, and what it cannot tell you. CION Cancer Clinics’ surgical oncologists in Hyderabad can talk this through with you.
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Medically reviewed by Dr. Muralidhar MuddusettyConsultant Surgical Oncologist · MBBS (AIIMS), MS (Surgery, AIIMS), DNB (Surgical Oncology), MRCS (Edinburgh) · last reviewed September 2026, next review due September 2027
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On this page
- What is a keloid, and can it be treated?
- How do you tell a thickened scar from a keloid?
- Why do some scars thicken and others do not?
- What treatments are used, from the simplest first?
- What do families believe about keloids, and what is true?
- What do the words your doctor uses mean?
- When should you show the scar to someone, and who treats it?
- Common questions about keloid scars after surgery
The short answer
What is a keloid, and can it be treated?
A keloid is a scar that keeps growing after the wound has healed, so it becomes raised, firm and spreads past the line of the cut. It can be treated, usually with silicone, pressure or steroid injections first, and it often softens and flattens, though it rarely disappears completely.
A thickened scar is not always a keloid
Many surgical scars turn red, raised and itchy in the first few months. Most of these are thickened scars, which doctors call hypertrophic scars. They stay inside the line of the original cut and usually settle on their own over a year or so. A keloid behaves differently. It grows beyond the cut into the normal skin around it, and it does not tend to shrink by itself.
Why it matters after cancer surgery
A keloid is a problem of the skin and the healing process. It is not the cancer. Even so, a lump under or beside a scar should be shown to your surgeon, because only an examination can tell the two apart.
This page explains the usual options. It cannot tell you what your own scar is, or which treatment will suit it.Side by side
How do you tell a thickened scar from a keloid?
Thickened (hypertrophic) scar
Keloid
Stays within the line of the original cut
Spreads out past the cut into normal skin
Usually appears in the first few weeks after surgery
Can appear months after the wound has healed
Often flattens and fades slowly on its own
Rarely shrinks without treatment
Less likely to return if it is removed
Often grows back if it is simply cut out
Not sure whether this applies to you?
Ask an oncologistWho is more likely
Why do some scars thicken and others do not?
Nobody can say for certain whether your scar will thicken. Some things make it more likely, and most of them are outside your control.
Your skin and family
Keloids are more common in people with darker skin, which includes many people in India. They also run in families. If you or a parent has had a keloid from a vaccination, an ear piercing or an old injury, tell your surgeon before the operation.
Where the cut is
Some parts of the body form thick scars more readily than others.
More likely on
- The chest and breastbone
- The shoulders and upper back
- The neck and earlobes
How the wound healed
A wound that became infected, opened up or healed slowly spends longer in the healing stage. That gives the scar more time to lay down extra tissue, so it is more likely to thicken.
Tension on the scar
A scar across a joint or a part of the body that stretches with every movement is pulled on constantly. Scars under tension tend to widen and thicken more than scars that can rest.
Treatment options
What treatments are used, from the simplest first?
-
Silicone gel or silicone sheets
Usually the first step, once the wound is fully closed. The gel or sheet is worn over the scar every day for several months. It keeps the scar moist and can soften and flatten it. It is cheap and safe, and it needs patience.
-
Pressure
A firm garment, tape or special clip presses on the scar for most of the day. It is used more for earlobes and limbs, where pressure is easy to keep on.
-
Steroid injections into the scar
A steroid such as triamcinolone is injected into the scar itself, repeated every few weeks. It often flattens a keloid and eases the itch. It can thin or lighten the skin around it, which shows more on darker skin.
-
Freezing or laser
Some skin specialists freeze the scar or use a laser, often alongside injections. Ask your centre what it offers before you plan on this.
-
Removing the keloid, with treatment after
Cutting a keloid out on its own often makes it come back larger. If it is removed, it is usually followed by injections, pressure or a short course of radiotherapy to the scar. Radiotherapy is not usually offered to children, or to young people where other options remain.
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Commonly believed
What do families believe about keloids, and what is true?
"The surgeon stitched it badly."
A keloid is mostly about how your own skin heals. The same careful closure can leave a fine line on one person and a keloid on another. Your family history and the site of the cut matter more than the stitching.
"If we just cut it off, it will be gone."
This is the belief that most often makes things worse. A keloid removed without any treatment afterwards frequently grows back, and sometimes larger than before. Removal is planned together with another treatment.
"Rubbing turmeric or oil on it will melt it down."
There is no good evidence that home pastes or oils shrink a keloid. Some cause a rash that makes the itching worse. Plain moisturiser and silicone are the safe place to start.
"A lump in the scar means the cancer is back."
Most lumps in a scar are scar tissue. The worry is reasonable, though, and should not be ignored. Show any new lump to your surgeon rather than living with the fear.
In the clinic
What do the words your doctor uses mean?
- Hypertrophic scar
- A raised, thickened scar that stays within the line of the cut. It usually settles slowly over time.
- Keloid
- A scar that grows beyond the edges of the original wound into normal skin around it.
- Intralesional injection
- An injection given directly into the scar, rather than into a muscle or a vein.
- Silicone sheet
- A soft, washable pad worn over a healed scar to keep it moist and help it flatten.
- Recurrence
- Here, it means the keloid growing back after treatment. It does not refer to the cancer.
Being straight with you
When should you show the scar to someone, and who treats it?
Show your scar at the next follow-up if it is spreading past the cut, getting harder, or itching enough to disturb your sleep. You do not need to wait for it to get worse. Earlier treatment is usually simpler.
Who looks after it
Your surgical team will look at it first and rule out anything under the scar. They may treat it themselves, or refer you to a skin specialist or a plastic surgeon. Ask which options your centre actually offers, and how often you would need to come back.
When treatment may wait
If you are still having chemotherapy or radiotherapy, scar treatment is often put off until that is finished. Steroid injections may be delayed if a wound elsewhere is still healing. If you are pregnant or planning to be, tell the doctor before any injection is given.
What this page cannot tell you
No one can promise how a keloid will respond. Some flatten well; some need treatment on and off for years. A scar needs to be seen and felt.
Questions we are asked
Common questions about keloid scars after surgery
Can a keloid be stopped before it forms?
Not always, but you can lower the chances. Keep the wound clean so it heals without infection, avoid stretching the scar in the early weeks, and start silicone once the wound is fully closed and your surgeon agrees. If you have had keloids before, say so before the operation so the team can plan for it.
Do steroid injections into the scar hurt?
They sting, because a keloid is firm and the medicine has to be pushed into dense tissue. Some doctors numb the skin first. The discomfort lasts a short while. Many people find the relief from itching is worth it. Tell the doctor if an earlier injection left the skin thin or pale.
Will the keloid come back after treatment?
It can. Keloids are known for returning, especially after being cut out without other treatment. That is why treatment is often given in stages and followed up for a long time. Keep your follow-up visits even when the scar looks settled, so any regrowth is caught while it is small.
Can I use silicone gel bought from a medical shop?
Usually yes, once the wound has fully closed and there are no scabs or open spots. Show the product to your nurse or surgeon first. Apply a thin layer and follow the pack. Stop and ask if the skin becomes red, broken or more itchy than before.
Is a keloid dangerous?
A keloid is not harmful to your general health and does not turn into cancer. It can still affect your life. It may itch, hurt, catch on clothing or make you self-conscious. Those are good reasons to ask for treatment. You do not need to put up with it simply because it is harmless.
My scar is raised but still inside the cut. Should I worry?
This is most likely a thickened scar, which is common and often settles slowly over a year or so. Gentle massage, moisturiser and silicone can help. Mention it at your next visit. Ask sooner if it is spreading outwards, becoming very painful or the skin over it is breaking down.
Will radiotherapy for my cancer affect the scar?
Radiotherapy changes the skin in the treated area. The scar may become darker, firmer or drier. It is also a reason scar treatments are often delayed until radiotherapy is over. Ask your radiation team how to care for the skin during the course, and what is safe to put on it.
Does insurance or Aarogyasri pay for keloid treatment?
It depends on your cover and on why the treatment is needed. Treatment for a painful or problem scar may be treated differently from a purely cosmetic request. Aarogyasri, CGHS, ECHS, EHS and cashless insurers each have their own rules. Call the helpline with your card details and we will help you check.
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Sources
- NHS — Keloids
- NHS — Scars
- Macmillan Cancer Support — Surgery
- American Cancer Society — Cancer surgery
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.
Keep reading
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