Why Patients Come to Rejuvence Clinic for Keloid Treatment: Real Stories, Real Struggles, Real Solutions

Keloids are one of the most misunderstood and poorly treated conditions across the UK, Ireland, mainland Europe, and the Caribbean. Every week, individuals come to Rejuvence Clinic after years of frustration—having seen GPs, NHS specialists, and private practitioners—without receiving the right diagnosis, the right technique, or the right long-term plan.

 

What we have learnt from our patients is consistent and powerful:

 

reliable, effective keloid care is incredibly difficult to access elsewhere.

This blog shares the most common experiences people report when they finally reach us, and why our specialised approach has become a destination for patients nationally and internationally.

 

The Problem: Keloids Are Considered “Cosmetic” by Many NHS Services

A recurring theme from our patients is that the NHS often cannot provide the comprehensive treatment keloids require. This is not a reflection of clinician skill—rather, it is a limitation of the system.

 

What People Tell Us About Their NHS Journey

 

✔ Many are told they do not qualify

 

for treatment

Keloids are frequently labelled “cosmetic,” meaning NHS funding is restricted. Even when keloids are painful, itchy, bleeding or growing, many individuals are denied treatment or placed on long waiting lists.

 

✔ Those who do qualify often receive only basic treatments

Typical NHS management includes:

• Steroid injections alone
• Excision without aftercare
• No access to keloid-specific lasers
• No long-term follow-up

This approach rarely works.

 

✔ Combination therapy is almost never offered

 

We have learnt from our patients that NHS teams understandably lack access to:

• Nd:YAG vascular laser
• Erbium resurfacing
• Precision steroid + 5-FU protocols
• Structured recurrence-prevention pathways

Without these tools, keloids tend to recur quickly.

 

✔ Some patients feel dismissed or misdiagnosed

Several individuals told us their lesion was initially believed to be something else entirely—even after multiple surgeries—only to relapse again.

 

The Private Clinic Problem: Injections Done Incorrectly

Patients also commonly seek help in private clinics before reaching us. Unfortunately, a large proportion tell us the same things:

✔ “I had multiple injections but nothing happened.”

When we explore this, the reason becomes clear:

• Incorrect steroid dosing
• Injected in the wrong plane
• Injected at the wrong intervals
• Inappropriate direct mixing of steroid + 5-FU that burns or ulcerates the skin

One patient described how repeated injections at another clinic caused:

 

“skin breakdown, ulceration, and big open wounds”

This is not just ineffective—it is harmful.

✔ Laser therapy is rarely used

And when it is, the wrong wavelength or energy setting can worsen scarring.

✔ Surgery is offered without aftercare

Several patients arrived after private excision with no follow-up plan. Their keloids returned larger than ever.

 

Real Stories Based on What We Have Learnt From Our Patients

These anonymised examples reflect genuine issues described during consultations.

 

Story 1 — NHS Surgery… Then Surgery Again… Then a Larger Keloid

One patient came to us after undergoing surgery in the NHS—twice.

The lesion had been excised because the team initially suspected something more serious. When it grew back, the consultant remained unsure whether it was even a keloid.

 

After both operations:

• No steroid injections
• No laser
• No early recurrence control
• No postoperative scar management

 

The scar returned aggressively, and the patient felt anxious, dismissed, and confused. At Rejuvence, this individual finally received a clear explanation:

• Keloid surgery must be paired with aftercare
• Recurrence happens when healing is uncontrolled
• Combination therapy—not excision alone—is essential

We developed a structured plan to calm the tissue and regain control.

 

Story 2 — Severe Damage from Incorrect Steroid + 5-FU Injection Technique at a Private Clinic

Another patient came to us with ulceration and tissue breakdown after receiving injections mixed improperly.

They were told that steroid + 5-FU would flatten the scar instantly. But what they received was:

• Excessive dosing
• Poor mixing technique
• Injection into the wrong tissue plane

 

This caused:

• Open wounds
• Prolonged pain
• Scarring worse than before

Once at Rejuvence, treatment began with stabilisation, followed by carefully dosed, targeted therapy and laser to restore healthy tissue behaviour.

They said it was the first time a clinician had explained why their previous injections failed and how treatment should be structured properly.

 

Story 3 — Delay After Delay in the NHS, Leading to a Growing Keloid

Some individuals describe waiting months for NHS appointments, only to be referred back and forth between departments.

One patient told us they went:

GP → Specialist → GP → Specialist

…with no active treatment ever being started.

By the time they reached Rejuvence, the keloid had:

• Tripled in size
• Become painful
• Begun to affect daily life

Their relief after receiving a clear, step-by-step treatment plan was palpable.

 

Story 4 — Patients Travelling From Ireland and Europe for Proper Keloid Care

We regularly see patients from Ireland who share the same frustration:

• Laser for keloids is not available locally
• Only steroid injections are offered
• No structured aftercare
• No combination-based approach

Similarly, individuals from France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, and the Caribbean come because:

• Surgery abroad led to recurrence
• Their injections were ineffective
• No laser options existed
• Aftercare was inconsistent or absent

One patient from Europe said:

 

“I realised no one here had a full plan—just one-off treatments. That’s why I travelled.”

Another from the Caribbean told us:

 

“My injections just burnt the skin. No one explained how they should be done.”

These experiences reflect common global gaps in keloid expertise.

 

Why Patients Finally Choose Rejuvence Clinic

After hearing all these stories, one theme is clear:

People want proper, specialist-led care that understands keloids deeply. At Rejuvence Clinic, we provide:

✔ Treatment based on understanding why

the keloid behaves the way it does

✔ Precision steroid dosing + controlled 5-FU use

✔ Nd:YAG vascular laser to calm the biology driving keloid growth

✔ Erbium resurfacing for texture and blending

✔ Long-term recurrence prevention

✔ Surgical options only when appropriate

✔ Follow-up and surveillance that people never received elsewhere

Most importantly, we give patients something very few have ever had before:

Clarity, realistic expectations, and a proper plan.

 

Conclusion: Keloid Treatment Requires Specialisation—Not Guesswork

Keloids do not respond to one-off injections or simple excision. They require:

• The right diagnosis
• The right laser
• The right injection technique
• The right sequence
• The right aftercare
• The right follow-up

We see patients who have travelled across the UK, from Ireland, from Europe, and from the Caribbean—not because Rejuvence Clinic is their first choice, but because it is the first place where things finally make sense.

If you have a keloid and feel unheard, untreated, or unsure of your next step, Rejuvence Clinic is here to help with expert, compassionate, evidence-based care.