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Compare keloid & scar treatments side-by-side.

Pick up to four treatments — or start from a preset — and see evidence, cost, pain, access, and limitations lined up in one scrollable table.

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Treatment	Steroid Injections	Silicone Sheets	Surgery
Research evidence	Strong	Strong	Strong
Typical cost	$100-$300/session	$15-$80 total	$500-$4000 total
Time to results	Softening often within 4-6 weeks; visible flattening over 3-6 months.	Early changes in color and texture in 4-8 weeks; meaningful flattening over 3-6 months.	Immediate volume reduction; long-term outcome judged at 12-24 months based on recurrence.
Risk
Discomfort
Accessibility	widely available	widely available	specialist required
Setting	Clinical only	Available at home	Clinical only
Recurrence	20-50% when used alone; lower when combined with surgery or 5-FU	N/A — preventative/adjunct therapy, not definitive	45-100% with surgery alone; 10-30% with a proper adjunct protocol (steroid, radiation, pressure, or combination)
Best for	Small to medium keloids Ear keloids (lobe and cartilage) Symptomatic keloids (itching, tenderness) First-line treatment before considering surgery	New scars (first 6 months post-injury or post-surgery) Prevention after keloid excision People who prefer non-invasive options Facial and chest scars where injections are harder to tolerate	Large, bulky, or pedunculated (stalk-like) keloids unlikely to respond to injections alone — especially earlobe keloids Keloids causing functional impairment, obstruction, or chronic ulceration Keloids that have already failed injection and laser protocols Mature keloids that have been stable for at least 12 months (active, growing keloids are higher-risk for aggressive recurrence)
Limitations	Injections can be painful, especially in dense scar tissue May cause skin atrophy, hypopigmentation, or telangiectasia at the site Large keloids rarely respond to steroids alone Recurrence is common when used without adjunct therapy	Requires daily adherence for months Less effective for old, mature keloids Adhesion can be difficult on mobile areas (joints, chest) Not a standalone solution for large keloids	Recurrence rates of 45-100% with surgery alone — the defining risk of this treatment The surgical wound itself can trigger a new, larger keloid along the entire scar line Post-op adjunct therapy is mandatory, not optional; skipping it is the single biggest predictor of recurrence Requires access to a surgeon experienced with keloid excision specifically (general dermatology and general surgery experience is not equivalent)

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