In brief. Keloid treatment in Lebanon, a form of scar repair surgery in Lebanon (scar revision), treats raised scars that grow beyond the edge of the original wound, flattening and softening them over a course of treatment. No scar can be erased: the aim is a flatter, paler, quieter scar. Dr. Vincent ElKhoury sees these patients at his clinic in Mansourieh, Metn.
How is a keloid treated?
Treatment is chosen by the scar in front of us, not applied the same way to every case.
- Small, raised scars are shaved down with a thermal device under a monopolar current; on scars on the body, silicone gel is then applied while the skin settles.
- True keloids are treated with a series of intralesional steroid injections (triamcinolone), given into the firm tissue of the scar itself; the keloid decreases in size gradually, session by session.
- A large or uncomfortable keloid that the patient wants gone rather than reduced is surgically excised. Excision alone is not a reliable cure, which is why it is kept for the keloids that need it.
Key facts
- What it is. A raised scar that grows beyond the edge of the original wound; treatment flattens and softens it over a course, and no scar can be erased.
- The options. Small raised scars are shaved down (with silicone gel afterwards on the body); true keloids get a series of steroid injections into the scar (triamcinolone); a large or uncomfortable keloid is surgically excised.
- Anaesthesia. Injections are brief, done in the clinic, with no general anaesthetic.
- The course. The keloid decreases gradually over a series of sessions, each checked at a return visit before the next; excision alone carries a real risk of the scar coming back, so the area is watched afterwards.
- Where. The scar is assessed at the clinic on Mkalles Main Street, Mansourieh (Metn); excision, when needed, is done at Hayek Hospital or Bellevue Medical Center.
What does treatment involve?
The approach is chosen by the scar in front of us, not applied the same way to every case.
Small, raised scars — the kind that read almost like a thickened skin tag — are shaved down with a thermal device under a monopolar current. On scars on the body, silicone gel is then applied while the skin settles.
True keloids are treated with a series of intralesional steroid injections (triamcinolone, sold as Kenacort). The steroid is injected directly into the firm tissue of the scar itself, and the keloid decreases in size gradually, session by session, rather than flattening immediately.
A keloid that is large, or uncomfortable enough that the patient wants it gone rather than reduced, is surgically excised.
What will it not do?
An injection does not erase a keloid in one visit — the response builds gradually over a course of sessions, and how many depends on how the individual scar responds.
Cutting a keloid out on its own is not a reliable cure: keloids have a real tendency to return after excision alone, sometimes larger than before. That risk is why surgery is kept for the keloids that genuinely need it, and why it is not treated as a shortcut past the injections.
Follow-up
How is the course judged?
Each injection is checked at a return visit before the next one is given, so the plan can change with what the scar is actually doing rather than following a fixed script.
First visit
ExaminationThe scar is examined and a plan chosen — shaving and silicone, a course of injections, or excision.
Each session
Injection or shaveBrief, done in clinic. No general anaesthetic for the injections.
Between sessions
Response is watchedThe keloid is reassessed at the next visit before deciding whether to continue, stop, or change approach.
After excision
Watched for returnThe area is followed afterwards, since this is when a keloid is at highest risk of coming back.
Read also: Keloid scars: why they come back and how they are treated · Keloid treatment: the options, and how they are combined · Questions to ask before keloid treatment in Lebanon
Honesty
Risks, and what can go wrong
Every treatment here has them. They are listed so a patient who has read them and still wants to proceed is a patient who will be content afterwards.
- Thinning or lightening of the skin at an injection site, which can happen with repeated steroid injections.
- Small visible blood vessels near an injected area.
- Discomfort at the time of injection or shaving.
- Recurrence, which is the main risk after excision and the reason it is not used as a first step for every keloid.
Questions
What patients ask
Is keloid treatment a kind of scar repair surgery?
It is one part of it. Scar repair means improving a scar that has healed badly; for a keloid or a raised scar, that is done here by shaving, a course of steroid injections, or surgical excision, as described above. Which one depends on the scar, and it is examined at the clinic in Mansourieh before anything is decided.
Is one injection enough?
Rarely. A keloid decreases in size gradually over a series of sessions rather than flattening after one. How many depends on how it responds.
Does surgery get rid of it for good?
Excision alone carries a real risk that the scar comes back. That is why it is reserved for keloids that are large or uncomfortable, and why the area is watched afterwards.
What is a keloid, versus an ordinary scar?
An ordinary scar stays inside the edges of the original wound. A keloid grows beyond them, stays raised, and can keep growing for months or years if untreated.
Does the injection hurt?
It is an injection directly into firm scar tissue, so there is a sting at the time. It is brief and does not need general anaesthesia.
What about small raised scars — do they need injections too?
A small raised scar is assessed at the clinic first. NHS and the British Association of Dermatologists list steroid injections and silicone among the first treatments, and both advise against removing a keloid by surgery alone, because it grows back.
Who gets keloids?
They are more common in people of African, Caribbean, South Asian and Chinese descent, and they appear between the ages of 10 and 30. Someone who has formed one keloid is more likely to form another, which matters when planning any elective operation.
Where can I have keloid treatment in Lebanon?
With Dr. Vincent ElKhoury, a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon. The scar is assessed at his clinic on Mkalles Main Street, Mansourieh (Metn). Excision, when needed, is done at Hayek Hospital or Bellevue Medical Center.
How do I book a consultation?
Call or WhatsApp the clinic on +961 1 697 739, or send the consultation form on this site. The clinic is open Monday to Friday, 10:00 to 18:00. Consultations are in English, French or Arabic.
How long is recovery after keloid scar treatment?
Injections and scar shaving are done in clinic without a general anaesthetic, so there is no real recovery period between sessions — the scar is reassessed at each visit before deciding whether to continue, stop, or change approach. After an excision, the area is watched closely in the following months, since this is when a keloid is at highest risk of coming back. Your surgeon will guide you on the schedule that fits your scar.
Can a scar be removed completely?
No. Anything that cuts the skin leaves a scar of its own. Scar repair replaces a raised, wide or tight scar with a flatter, finer one; it does not erase it.
What kind of doctor treats a keloid?
A keloid is treated by a plastic surgeon or a dermatologist. Dr. Vincent ElKhoury, a board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon, sees these patients at his clinic in Mansourieh, Metn, and chooses between shaving, a course of steroid injections and excision according to the scar.
Do creams or silicone gel work on keloids?
Silicone gel is applied to scars on the body while the skin settles after a small raised scar is shaved down. A true keloid is treated with a course of steroid injections into the scar itself, and it decreases in size gradually, session by session, rather than flattening at once.
How much does keloid treatment in Lebanon cost?
There is no single figure, because no two operations are the same. The cost depends on the scar and the treatment it needs. Fees are not advertised, in keeping with the professional rules for doctors in Lebanon; they are discussed in person at the consultation, once the right operation for you is known. What shapes the cost is set out in the cost of plastic surgery in Lebanon.
Further reading
Sources
Published patient information on this procedure, from sources independent of the practice. The plan for your own operation is gone through at the consultation.