• Infection brings healing to a standstill.
• The longer a wound or incision takes to heal, the more scar tissue builds up.
• The body is just trying to hold the wound together when it grows scar tissue.
• It’s going to try harder when infection stops healing.

The Italian research documents the need for what they call “a mechanical barrier against bacteria.” What they mean by “mechanical” is something you apply.

A home scar treatment using 100% silicone creates this kind of protective barrier. It  guards against infection,  blocks air, dust and other irritants.

More from the doctors in Italy: “As shown by the most up-to-date research, it is now possible to accomplish the pharmacological and non-surgical therapy of…scars by means of … chemical agents.”

Medical-grade silicone is a pharmacological and non-surgical therapy.

Why avoid surgery? When they cut they have to do a lot more to prevent scarring. The most difficult thing to do affect blood flow to the scar tissue to slow its growth.

-Article Source: Cattedra di Chirurgia Plastica Parma, Italy.

Three certainties.

• Once a scar forms it cannot be erased.
• It can be improved with a scar reducer, but a trace will always remain.
• Surgery to treat a plastic surgery scar will leave a new one.

Plastic Surgery Scar Characteristics Vary.

1. Liposuction “holes” depend on the size of the instrument. Fat is especially prone to scarring.
2. A full tummy-tuck incision runs from hip to hip, low enough for underwear to cover but noticeable in swimwear and intimate situations.
3. Nose jobs leave a fine-line. Facelift wounds are positioned to blend in. Eyelid skin is so thin keloids may appear.
4. Breast enlargement or reduction scars respond especially well to silicone therapy, available in scar reducer home treatments.

An irony of cosmetic surgery is that afterward, doctors often prescribe scar removal called “revision”; that is, more plastic surgery to treat color and size.

The results can help identify scar home treatment that can be effective.

A South Florida Medical Research Center studied topical scar compounds. The doctors evaluated silicone and vitamin E.

Vitamin E

1. This natural substance is marketed in scar removal products.
2. Pure vitamin E applied directly to scars is considered natural therapy.

The doctors reported “no significant” reduction in color or size of scars from Vitamin E applications.

Onion extract

A major Texas medical school put it to the test.

• They wanted to know if it reduced redness and itching.
• They also checked for change in the size of scars.
• People with surgical scars were evaluated.
• Only half were given an onion extract scar ointment.

The study found onion extract to be ineffective.

Topical Silicone Scar Removal Products Have Been Tested

• In a controlled study at major South Florida medical center.
• In a serious analysis by doctors in Pune, India
• Both studies found silicone in gel form reduced the size of scars for more than half of their test patients.

Why would a doctor recommend a scar removal cream over medical treatment?

• You are prone to forming serious scarring, such as keloids and hypertrophic scars.
• You have a family history of bad scarring.
• You are a person of color. Dark skin scars more noticeably.
• You can’t afford it and insurance won’t cover it.

Research also determined silicone reduces scar tenderness, stops itching, and softens scar tissue, which helps flatten a scar.

Scar Wars: Learning just a little about what causes scarring leads to improved scar treatment.

At Stanford University, a group dubbed the “scar wars team” moved a step forward in understanding scar formation.

• They demonstrated that pulling, pushing or stretching wounded skin increases scarring.
• The doctors believe that if they control pressure on skin as it heals, they will control scar formation.
• The researchers think engineering a change in physical forces around wounds could eliminate scarring.

Previous research into the “environment” of a wound indicated that applying a silicone scar treatment to a wound within two weeks of treatment encourages faster healing by encouraging moisture retention.

• If your scar causes physical difficulty you may be able to get insurance to pay for scar treatment.
• Insurance companies routinely deny coverage for plastic surgery scars or complications from plastic surgery.

How to Get Insurance Approval

• Ask your doctor to write a letter detailing your particular case, such as if you are a burn victim.
• Ask you doctor to take photos to help prove your case.

The overwhelming lack of insurance coverage for scar treatment makes silicone-based scar products one of the few affordable options.  Silicone has been proven to promote healing and reduce scar size and color.

• Over-the-counter and prescription creams, ointments and gels.
• Surgical removal
• Surgical treatments including dermabrasion, lasers and skin grafts.
• Injections including collagen and steroids

Ranking the options by cost, from most expensive to least.

1. Surgical excision.
2. Laser surgery.
3. Derm abrasion.
4. Cortisone or steroid shots.
5. At-home silicone scar removal cream or gel.

All five options have been shown to be effective. There is no clear-cut method for ranking the effectiveness of each of the scar treatments.

• Everyone scars differently,
• Everyone heals at different rates.
• All scar treatments except surgical removal involve repeated treatments.

They ended up demonstrating just how effective silicone keloid removal gels and creams are for keloid therapy.

They found applying a silicone gel:

• Decreased the size of keloid scars in 53% of test patients.
• Reduced keloid tenderness in 36%.
• Stopped itching in 45%.
• Softened keloid scar tissue for 45% of test subjects.

The study followed 22 keloid patients for 16 weeks.

Silicone keloid scar removal is proven.  But doctors are not giving up on finding out what causes keloid scars.  University of Connecticut researchers planned DNA research, since keloid scarring runs in a family.

Why?

Ear piercing.

Men adopted the look of a stud or hoop and the rate of keloid scarring among men jumped to the level of women. Keloid scar treatment jumped, too.

A silicone keloid scar treatment gel or cream for earlobes has advantages.

1. The healing effect of silicone on keloids is well-documented.
2. It is far easier to use a gel on an earlobe keloid than attempt to tape on a silicone. sheet, which is the older method of keloid scar removal.
3. It is the least expensive of the proven effective therapies.
4. Both male and female earlobes respond well to silicone keloid scar removal.

Why are earlobes prone to keloids?

Keloid scarring develops in even the most minor skin injuries, such as a piercing hole. Keloid rates are highest among teens and young adults, attributed to body piercing.

• Flatten keloid scars.
• Soften tough keloid tissue.
• Reduce redness and pain.
• Promote keloid healing.

A good doctor will warn that surgery can simply cause a new keloid to grow where the old one was removed. The risk is greatest if:

• You are prone to forming multiple keloids.
• You have a family history of the disfiguring scars.
• You are a person of color.

Doctors themselves will recommend silicone gel therapy following surgical keloid removal. Silicone is the premier topical treatment in addition to or in place of surgery.