Do you need a referral for keloid removal surgery?

A referral may not be necessary for keloid removal surgery, but the surgeon or health plan may require one before consultation. Contact the dermatologic-surgery clinic to ask about direct booking, required records, and whether a referral or prior approval applies.

The clinician examines the raised scar, asks how it began and whether it has changed, and checks for symptoms such as itching, tenderness, or tightness. Excision removes the visible keloid, but keloids can grow again after surgery, so the plan may include additional scar treatment and careful follow-up. The diagnosis should be confirmed before removal.

Bring a list of medicines, allergies, previous scar treatments, and relevant medical conditions. Tell the surgeon if you or close relatives form raised scars after injuries or piercings. Avoid picking, squeezing, or repeatedly irritating the area, and ask how to protect the wound if surgery is planned.

Arrange assessment for a scar that is enlarging, painful, persistently itchy, bleeding, or restricting movement. A rapidly changing lump, an ulcer, or unexplained discharge deserves review before any cosmetic procedure. After surgery, call the team for increasing redness, pus, fever, wound separation, or swelling that is getting worse.

Ask whether the growth is definitely a keloid, what recurrence prevention will be used, how the incision will be cared for, and how long activity may be limited. Confirm who will examine the scar during healing and what changes require prompt contact.