Hi,
A keloid scar, short or long, cannot be totally removed. It can only be improved upon.
If multiple steroid injections "did not work", other options to consider may include:
Increasing the potency of the injected steroids i.e. use a higher concentration. While more effective, potential side-effects such as skin atrophy, telangiectasias, discoloration may be more frequent and severe.
Use a combination of steroid mixed with 5-Fluorouracil. 5-Fluorouracil is an anti-cancer drug. This combination is reported to be more effective than steroid alone.
Add laser to augment improvement. The pulse-dye vascular laser (595nm) and high energy drilling fractional CO2 laser are effective.
Whatever therapies are used, recurrences are to be expected.
Surgical excision is often associated with recurrences which may be worse compared to the original scar and should be undertaken as a last resort after a thorough discussion with an experienced surgeon. DXT post-surgery may help reduce keloid recurrence post-surgery.
