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Scars - reconstruction and correction, done properly.

Hypertrophic scars, keloids, contractures, atrophic pitting. Silicone, steroid, laser, Z-plasty, fat grafting - the whole ladder. A consultant plastic surgeon who does this every week, and the honest option for your skin.

See indicative pricing
A radiographer guides a patient onto the bed of an advanced 3 Tesla MRI scanner in a London imaging suite

Indicative pricing

What private scar revision costs in the UK.

Indicative ranges across our partner plastic surgery units.

In short

£1,200–£2,500, home the same day.

Procedure Indicative range
Intralesional steroid injection (single session) £250–£600
Silicone gel or sheet regime (12 weeks) £80–£250
Fractional laser resurfacing (per session) £450–£1,200
Microneedling with PRP (per session) £350–£700
Simple scar excision under local (small) £1,200–£2,500
Z-plasty or W-plasty revision £2,200–£4,500
Keloid excision + adjunctive therapy £2,500–£5,500
Contracture release with flap or graft (GA) £4,500–£9,000
Fat grafting for atrophic scars £3,500–£6,000
Plastic surgery consultation only £220–£400

Prices vary by hospital, by the surgeon, by scar size and by the number of sessions needed. Laser and steroid protocols typically need 3–6 sessions. Combined excision plus radiotherapy for keloids sits at the top of the range.

The problem

One scar, one tool - the reason so many revisions disappoint.

Scars respond to combinations. Excision without silicone widens. Laser without sun protection darkens. Keloid excision without adjunct recurs. We treat scars in stacks, not single shots.

  • Is surgery even the right tool?

    Silicone, steroid and time settle most raised scars. We say so before recommending a scalpel.

  • Match the technique to the scar

    Hypertrophic needs steroid and silicone. Keloid needs excision plus radiotherapy. Atrophic needs resurfacing or fat. Never one-size-fits-all.

  • Plan the 12-month tail

    The result at 6 weeks is not the result at 12 months. Silicone, sun protection and follow-up scheduled from day one.

The journey

From photo to 12-month review - what happens, in order.

One team from first message through pre-treatment, revision and long-tail scar maturation.

  1. 01

    Before

    A short confidential form with close-up photos of the scar in daylight, a note on how it happened, how long it has been there, and what bothers you - appearance, tightness, itch, pain.

  2. 02

    Before

    Indicative price for each route.

  3. 03

    Before

    Consultation and mapping

    The surgeon examines the scar, tests skin quality around it, marks tension lines, discusses realistic outcome. Photographs for the record.

  4. 04

    Before

    Pre-treatment: prime the skin

    Six to twelve weeks of silicone gel or sheet, sun protection and - if needed - a course of intralesional steroid to soften a hypertrophic scar before any cutting.

  5. 05

    On the day

    The procedure itself

    Local anaesthetic for small revisions and injections (15–45 min). GA for extensive contracture release, flap work or large keloids (1–3 hours). Day-case for almost all cases.

  6. 06

    On the day

    Discharge and dressings

    Home the same day. Steri-Strips or fine sutures, silicone tape from day 10, sun avoidance for 6 months, and a written aftercare sheet.

  7. 07

    After

    Review and long-game care

    Wound check at 1–2 weeks, suture removal at 7–14 days, review at 6 weeks, 3 months and 6 months. Scar maturation takes 12–18 months.

Typical timeline: 4–8 weeks from first appointment to procedure, 12–18 months to full scar maturation.

When it helps

When scar reconstruction is the right step.

The scar types we see most, plus the one red flag that means dermatology urgently rather than a routine revision.

  • Hypertrophic scar

    A raised, red, sometimes itchy scar that stays inside the wound boundary - surgery, silicone and steroid are the usual first steps.

  • Keloid scar

    A scar that overgrows beyond the original wound - earlobes, chest, shoulders, back. Excision alone recurs; adjunctive steroid or radiotherapy is standard.

  • Contracture across a joint

    A tight scar, often post-burn, that limits movement of a finger, elbow, axilla, neck or knee - needs release with Z-plasty, graft or flap.

  • Atrophic or depressed scar

    Post-acne, chickenpox or trauma pitting - subcision, microneedling, laser resurfacing or fat grafting are the main tools.

  • Widened or stretched surgical scar

    A scar that has spread over months, often on the back, chest or abdomen - revision along tension lines can narrow it.

  • Facial scar in a visible area

    A visible cheek, forehead or lip scar - geometric revision, laser and camouflage together often outperform any single tool.

  • Self-harm or trauma scar camouflage

    Fine subcision, laser and medical tattoo can soften the pattern of forearm or thigh scars where full excision is not realistic.

  • Red flag: painful, changing or ulcerating scar

    A long-standing scar that starts to hurt, break down or grow needs urgent dermatology review - rarely, a Marjolin ulcer (cancer) develops in old scar tissue.

Procedure options

The full scar ladder - from silicone to flap.

What each option involves and where it fits. Most complex scars need two or three of these tools in combination, not one.

  • Intralesional steroid

    Triamcinolone injection every 4–6 weeks softens hypertrophic and keloid scars. Cheap, effective, first-line for most raised scars.

  • Silicone gel and sheeting

    Twelve to sixteen weeks of continuous silicone remains the best-evidenced non-surgical treatment. Started once the wound has fully re-epithelialised.

  • Fractional laser resurfacing

    Ablative CO2 or non-ablative Erbium creates controlled micro-columns of injury that remodel collagen - best for atrophic acne scars and mature raised scars.

  • Microneedling and PRP

    Skin needling with or without platelet-rich plasma stimulates collagen for shallow atrophic scars. Series of 3–6 sessions.

  • Simple excision

    Cutting out a narrow scar and closing along skin tension lines. Best for small linear scars where the surgical wound will heal more finely than the original.

  • Z-plasty and W-plasty

    Geometric revisions that reorient a scar along tension lines and break up straight lines the eye follows - the workhorses of facial revision.

  • Serial excision

    A large scar removed in two or three stages over months, letting the skin stretch - used for wide burn scars or congenital naevi.

  • Flap or graft for contracture release

    Releasing a tight band and importing new tissue (local flap, full-thickness graft) to restore movement across a joint.

  • Fat grafting

    Micro-fat and nano-fat improve depressed scars, soften adherent scars and - likely via stem cell activity - improve skin quality itself.

  • Keloid protocols (excision + radiotherapy or steroid)

    Excision alone recurs in over 50% of keloids. Combined with post-operative superficial radiotherapy or long-term steroid, recurrence falls to under 20%.

Safety and recovery

What to expect afterwards - honestly.

Scar revision is safe and effective in the right hands. The two things that most affect the result are your compliance with silicone and sun protection, and the surgeon’s honesty about recurrence risk.

  • Recurrence is the honest headline

    Any raised scar can come back, and keloids in particular recur even in expert hands. That is why we combine excision with steroid, silicone or radiotherapy - never surgery alone.

  • The scar you finish with is not the scar at 6 weeks

    A revised scar looks its worst around 6–8 weeks and matures over 12–18 months. Do not judge the result early. Silicone and sun protection for a full year make a visible difference.

  • Bleeding, infection, wound breakdown

    Small risks with any excision. Facial revisions have very low infection rates. Watch for spreading redness, pus or wound edge separation and call the team the same day.

  • Steroid side effects - skin thinning, pigment change

    Intralesional steroid can thin the skin, cause telangiectasia and lighten pigment, especially in darker skin. We keep dose and interval conservative and warn you first.

  • Laser risks - burns and pigment change

    Every laser can burn, blister or leave post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, especially in Fitzpatrick IV–VI skin. Test patches and conservative settings are non-negotiable.

  • Anaesthetic risk

    Local anaesthetic is very safe. General anaesthetic for contracture release carries the usual small risks - a full pre-op assessment is done before any GA case.

  • Numbness and altered sensation

    Any revision leaves a strip of numb skin around the new scar that usually fades over 6–12 months. Fingertip and lip revisions can leave permanent minor changes.

  • Sun and pigment protection

    A new scar exposed to sun in the first 6 months will darken and stay dark. SPF 50 daily on the scar, and silicone under it, are the two things that most affect the final look.

  • Red flags after surgery

    Spreading redness, fever, wound gaping, sudden severe pain or a scar that starts bleeding weeks later needs the same-day team or A&E, not a routine call.

Reading your operation note

Your revision note in four parts. Read the last one first.

Whichever technique was used - excision, Z-plasty, laser, steroid - the note the surgeon sends you keeps to the same shape.

A UK consultant plastic surgeon reviewing a patient’s scar revision notes

A quiet reminder

Surgical language is precise and can read coldly - we translate it for you.

If you would like us to talk you through the operation note and the follow-up plan, just ask.

  1. 01 Header

    Scar type, site and technique

    Whether it was hypertrophic, keloid, atrophic or contracture, where it sat, and which technique was used - excision, Z-plasty, laser, steroid or a combination.

  2. 02 Technique

    What was done, and what was added

    The details: length excised, flap geometry, suture material, adjuncts (steroid, silicone, radiotherapy), and any grafting.

  3. 03 Findings

    Tissue response and adjacent skin

    How the scar tissue behaved on excision, quality of the surrounding skin, and whether histology was sent (any long-standing scar with change should be).

  4. 04 Impression

    Plan and recurrence risk

    Read this first: what silicone, sun protection or steroid schedule to follow, when the review appointments are, and honest recurrence risk for your scar type.

Recognised by major UK insurers

BupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealix

Scar revision after trauma, cancer surgery or burns is usually covered.

Frequently asked

Everything we get asked about scar revision.

Quick answers on timing, keloids, laser, cost and recovery.

  • When should I have a scar revised versus left alone?

    Wait 12 months from the original injury before considering surgical revision - scars mature and often improve on their own with silicone and time. Revise earlier only for functional problems (contracture across a joint, eyelid distortion, lip pull) or for keloids that need to be brought under control.

  • What is the difference between a hypertrophic scar and a keloid?

    A hypertrophic scar stays inside the wound boundary, appears within weeks and often settles over 12–24 months. A keloid grows beyond the boundary, may appear months later, and does not regress on its own. Keloids favour earlobes, chest, shoulders and back, and are more common in darker skin - they need combined treatment, not excision alone.

  • Will surgery leave no scar?

    No - scar revision replaces one scar with another, hopefully finer, flatter and better aligned. Realistic goal: a scar that is less noticeable, less itchy, less tight or no longer restricts movement. Anyone promising a scar-free result is overselling.

  • What does scar revision cost privately in the UK?

    Roughly £250–£600 for a steroid injection, £450–£1,200 per laser session, £1,200–£2,500 for a small excision, £2,200–£4,500 for Z-plasty revision, £2,500–£5,500 for keloid protocols, and £4,500–£9,000 for contracture release with a flap or graft. Series of laser or steroid needs 3–6 sessions.

  • Does the NHS revise scars?

    Yes - for functional problems (contracture, lid distortion, restricted movement), post-cancer reconstruction and burn-related scarring. Cosmetic revision of a settled scar is usually not funded, though local Individual Funding Requests are sometimes granted for facial scars causing significant psychological impact.

  • How long is recovery after scar revision?

    Small excision: back to work in 2–3 days, sutures out at 7–10 days, sport at 3 weeks. Z-plasty on the face: same. Contracture release with a graft: 2–4 weeks off, splints and physiotherapy for 6–12 weeks. Full colour and texture maturation of any revised scar takes 12–18 months.

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