05/15/11

Do the over-the-counter scar treatments really do anything?

There are many different products on the market, but none have any real scientific validity.

Given the length of time a scar takes to heal - six months to two years- it’s not surprising these scar remedies are popular. Scar remedy options include silicone gels, silicone gel sheeting, antibiotic ointments, onion extract gels, and vitamin oils and creams. Mederma scar gel and Kelo-cote are just two of many available. Most are expensive and not covered by insurance. 

What has been shown to help the healing process and minimize scarring is hydration. Most scar products provide hydration, but not necessarily any better than Aquaphor ointment or plain petrolatum ointment.

Additionally, if a scar gets better after months of applying a remedy, it’s hard to know whether the treatment itself or just time (“tincture of time”) is the reason for the improvement. Very few studies have addressed this. 

Studies have shown that the advertised benefits of most of the over-the-counter scar products do not hold up clinically. The one exception is silicone gel sheeting. Several articles reviewing over twenty years of research suggested that it can speed healing and lead to softer, thinner, less red and less painful scars. It's not clear exactly what silicone itself does, but the sheets cover the scar, preventing water from evaporating from the skin, thereby providing moisturization (hydration). However, the sheets can be uncomfortable, difficult to apply to contoured areas, and cosmetically unpleasant.