Scar Removal Cream in the News: Spare the Onions

Most scar removal creams use one of three active ingredients:

1. Silicone, which research proved effective.
2. Vitamin E. Researchers can’t agree.
3. Onion Extract.

Researchers at a major Texas medical school put onion extract to the test.

They wanted to know if it impacted scar symptoms such as redness and itching. They also checked for any change in the size of the surgical scars.

• 17 people with surgical scars were evaluated.
• They were given a topical gel on the day their stitches were removed.
• They were instructed to use the gel three times a day for a month.
• Only half of the ointments contained onion extract.

The results

1. The doctors found no evidence the onion extract gel shrinks scars.
2. They found that the test patients who were given petroleum jelly got more relief from redness than those using onion extract.
3. Petroleum jelly also relieved itching better than onion extract.