ScarAway silicone gel for scars

I have used medical grade, doctor-approved silicone scar sheets myself. (Silicones are the only over the counter treatment proven with over 20 years of studies to work to flatten and fade old scars and help prevent thickened scars.)

The sheets I used were of an European brand of which the quality can be compared with that of ScarAway sheets. I created a write-up on my experiences with silicone scar treatment where I recommend ScarAway.

A visitor of this review page informed me about how she tried various silicone sheet brands which made her aware of the many differences between them.

She notes: “there are very distinct differences in the types, thicknesses and material that cause each one to be a whole different experience. Some are thick, some are thin, some are clear and some are opaque. Some are fabric, some have a plastic or polyurethane outer layer on the silicone, and some have a fabric backing.”

Because there are so many different brands to choose from choosing the right one be very confusing. That’s why she had an in-depth conversation with her plastic surgeon. Here’s what she informed me about the conversation with her surgeon:

Make sure to use breathable silicones “It is important that the material baking on the silicone is breathable. Silicone fabric types with a baking that does not allow the transfer of oxygen should be avoided. Do not use the cheaper “tape” types that don’t breath which can cause skin maceration.

Definition: The softening and breaking down of skin resulting from prolonged exposure to moisture. The skin softens, turns white, and can easily get infected with bacteria or fungi. This type of problem can cause more scarring or widening of the scar.”

Avoid the use of sheets that are too sticky. “I was baffled by this as I see a complaint of users of silicone sheet products is that they don’t stick real well by themselves and roll off after a period of time, etc. Some sheets are not made to be self adhering at all ..more like a piece of rubber, but those buckle even under medical tape.

My surgeon explained that a proper silicone sheet should never produce a severe pulling on your scar. If it is too sticky, there is the potential to further damage the new skin, or even open a delicate healing area. in general, he said the ideal sheet would be sticky enough to help you position it on the scar, and use a medical tape..cotton or silk, to secure further if necessary…but stickier does not equate to more effective.”

Thin silicone sheets vs thick silicone gel pads “Thinner sheets with a compact layer of silicone are more comfortable and more “durable” which means they do not break down and you get more use out of them. The thicker “gel” type pads get dirt, etc embedded in them which is not sanitary when sealing to your skin for hours each day. He advised against a thick gel type pad. The thinner “sheet type” can be washed cleanly. So which ones are which out there on the market?

ScarAway Review
The only silicone scar treatment product that has the breathable fabric AND the thin washable medical grade silicone in one is the expensive sheets through your surgeon and the new ScarAway sheets. He gave me a coupon for $2.00 off ScarAway at Walgreens.

I have also found them online at Amazon.com and Drugstore.com. So, I will journey on using ScarAway sheets. Like you do, my surgeon recommended using the sheets at night and the ScarAway 100% Silicone Serum during the day. I know this is long..it took my doctor 45 minutes to explain it all to me. I hope this is helpful to all and answers the many question out there about silicone scar treatments.”

If you have any questions regarding silicone scar sheets, ScarAway, or scar treatment in general don’t hesitate to ask me by leaving a comment. There are also many questions and answers on the silicone scar treatment page I was talking about. Thanks again for sharing this in-depth information Laura!

Scar Esthetique Reduction Cream Review

Scar Esthetique Reduction Cream is often bought in combination with silicone sheets. This scar reduction cream is marketed with the pay off:

“Containing more ingredients that promote scar healing and scar reduction than any other scar cream on the market”.

Which in fact is true. It contains an impressive amount of ‘active’ ingredients. (w/Silicone, Arnica, Antioxidants, Copper Peptides, Co-Q10)

Scar Esthetique Reduction Cream

Some of them are frequently occurring scar cream components which have no scientific scar treatment value. Onion extract is one of those. Or at least it is disputed. One animal study showed improvement while two other studies didn’t show benefits. Vitamin E is also a popular skin care product component but whether or not it is useful in scar treatment hasn’t been scientifically proven. It is often added because of its skin soothing properties. Some other ingredients of Scar Esthetique however seem more promising. Vitamin C for example.

Several studies have shown vitamin C to be an effective scar treatment constituent. Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid) has shown to hydrate scar tissue, reduce scar discolorization and redness, and regulate excessive collagen formation. Major downside of vitamin C and products containing it is that it is very unstable. This means that if it is exposed to the air (oxygen) it will loose its action. (A more stable form of vitamin C is Tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate) I am not sure whether or not Scar Esthetique Reduction Cream contains a stable form of vitamin C.

Arnica montana, also referred to as Leopards bane or Mountain Tobacco, is known to promote wound healing. Historically used to reduce bruising, swelling, and  inflammation. Although advertised frequently as an effective scar treatment component its scientific efficacy has to be proven yet.  Study reports from the ‘Archives of Facial and Plastic Surgery’ show that when arnica is taken orally before surgery it reduces inflammation and bruising. Arnica stimulates white blood cell activity which might be beneficial in scar tissue reduction.

Copper peptides is another supposed scar reducing ingredient. Proteins called peptides boost the body’s reserve of an enzyme which regulates the way cells age and deal with stress.  In a previous post on copper peptides I concluded that copper peptides will probably help a little bit because copper is a part of healthy collagen placement but they have to be used in combination with peels and results will only be seen over (a relatively long) time.

Silicones (dimethicone) are proven effective scar reducing agents. Silicone sheets or ointments reduce scar elevation, redness, itch, and pain. I know of some other creams containing silicones that they stay on the surface of the skin and seal it to enable the rest of the ingredients to work. Whether this is the case in this particular cream I don’t know.

Vitamin A is an important skin care vitamin. “Today it is well recognized that the rejuvenation of skin can be achieved by applying vitamin A to the skin.” Studies show that vitamin A has some scar fading properties. There are many types and derivates of vitamin A. Retinoic acid, retinyl palmitate, retinyl acetate, and beta-carotene are a few of them. Retinyl palmitate, present in the Scar Esthetique cream accounts for about 80% of the vitamin A found in the skin. For more in-dept info on the role of vitamin A in scar treatment visit this post on the benefits of vitamin A in scar treatment.

According to the manufacturer:

“Scar Esthetique Scar Cream penetrates deep into the skin’s epidermal layers to treat scar tissue damage from the inside. It stimulates new cellular growth to reduce scarring and is the only scar cream available that can remove scars. Scar Esthetique Scar Creme is clinically proven to improve the appearance of scars, including hypertrophic and keloid scars, that result from surgery, trauma, burns, laser resurfacing and acne. It is also highly effective in reducing stretch marks and lightening brown aging spots.”

It is also said that it works like a silicone sheet at a cellular level. Whether or not this is completely true remains to be seen. No real evidence proving these statements is available. On the other hand, there’s no real proof this cream doesn’t work at all.

My conclusion for now: I think that, among the possibly, not yet proven, effective scar reduction creams Scar Esthetique might be a very promising contender. No studies to this exact mix of ingredients have been done but the components used in this cream are at least promising.

Apart from this the customer reviews of this product are pretty positive. To see for yourself click the link below. It is rated 4 out of 5 stars. I’m convinced these reviews are unbiased and real because there are other products on their website that have far less positive ratings.

Read More Reviews of Scar Esthetique Reduction Cream

Silicone scar sheeting is used by hospitals, burn centers,  cosmetic surgeons, and dermatologists to treat and prevent scarring. Having used many products myself I have come to the conclusion that not only are silicone sheets the best solution for (surgical) wound scars but also that it matters which brand you choose. The best option is to use medical grade, or the so called doctor approved brands. ScarAway is such a brand.

ScarAway (formerly known as Neosporin Scar Solution) is released on the consumer market by Bio-Med Sciences. These sheets ( or patches, strips) are manufactured with the proven Silon technology. The last years ScarAway silicone scar sheets were improved with a slightly larger size and significantly better adhesion.

Supporting my own findings here are two comments/ reviews posted on my web page about my experiences with scar treatment:

Lori D says:

The only silicone sheet available that is professional grade and also thin (more comfortable) is Scar Away. I tried a few without success and then finally found scaraway sheets. Here is my experience. I tried rejuvaness, but it is just piece of rubber…it does not have any stickiness to help it stay on so even when i taped it on, it would slide and fall off. No effect whatsoever on my scar. I tried another sheet (blaines scarcare?) it was so thick and lumpy that it was really uncomfortable and felt itchy. No way I could wear that 12 hours a day!. I was very discouraged. When I went to my doctor for help with my scar, she recommended ScarAway. I used the 7″ x 1.5″ strips for my C-section scar. The strip was VERY thin and has a nice soft fabric on the outside . I left mine on almost all of the time and each strip lasted longer than the week suggested. The package came with enough for the whole treatment (my doctor recommended 12 weeks). My scar is barely even visible now

steve p says:

I just went to drugstore.com to order ScarAway silicone scar sheets and found out they have a new 100% silicone gel that does not have any “useless” ingredients like vitamin e. cortizone. etc. So if you are looking for the scienticfically proven silicone only, I am going to use the scaraway sheets in combination with the silicone serum when i am not wearing he sheet. I know I have to wear the sheet 12 or more hours, and will wear the gel the other hours. I read that the longer silicone is in contact with your skin, the better. I also found the scaraway on drugstore.com and amazon.com comes with a free case to keep it in.

Why you should avoid silicone strips that are too sticky and too thick, and more advice on silicone scar products in this ScarAway review.