Silicone Scar Gel vs Silicone Gel Sheets: Which Is Better for Your Scar After 45?
Quick summary
Silicone scar gel and silicone gel sheets work the same way: they cover the scar and keep it hydrated. Studies comparing the two have found no clear difference in results.
The real difference is practical. Gel suits the face, neck, joints and anywhere visible. Sheets suit large, flat scars you can cover, such as on the tummy or chest. The best choice is the one you will use every day for at least 12 weeks.
At Genova Skincare we make a silicone scar gel, not sheets, so our own product is in this guide. Results vary from person to person.
30ml, made in Australia. A clear silicone gel for fully healed scars that sits under clothing, sunscreen and make-up. Free standard delivery on Australian orders over $50.
If you are shopping for scar care after surgery, you will quickly find two kinds of silicone: a gel you rub on, and adhesive sheets or strips you stick over the scar. Both are recommended by surgeons, and both claim to flatten and fade scars. So which should you buy?
At Genova Skincare, we get this question often from women over 45 after a C-section, a tummy tuck, a hysterectomy or skin cancer surgery. Here is what the evidence says, how the two compare in daily life, and how to choose.
Silicone gel vs silicone gel sheets: does one work better?
At Genova Skincare, we think the honest answer matters most here: the research does not show a winner. International scar guidelines published in Dermatologic Surgery by Gold and colleagues list both silicone gel and silicone sheeting as first-line options for raised scars.
A randomised trial in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open by Pruksapong and colleagues compared gel with sheets in people healing from deep hand burns and found no significant difference between them on a standard scar scale. Both worked by the same mechanism.
That mechanism is simple. Newly healed skin loses water too easily, which seems to signal the scar to keep making collagen. A review in Advances in Wound Care by Bleasdale and colleagues explains that silicone covers the scar and restores hydration, which appears to calm this process. Whether that layer comes from a dried gel film or a sheet does not seem to matter much.
One caution applies to both. A Cochrane review by O'Brien and Jones found silicone sheeting improved scar thickness and colour, but judged the studies to be of poor quality. Silicone is a sensible, low-risk first step, not a sure thing.
Silicone scar gel vs sheets compared: prices and practical differences
Here is how they compare day to day, with Australian prices checked on 25 September 2026.
| Silicone scar gel | Silicone gel sheets | |
|---|---|---|
| How you use it | Thin layer, twice a day, dries in about a minute | Stick on, wear 12–24 hours a day, wash and reuse |
| Visible? | Clear once dry | Visible unless covered |
| Best places | Face, neck, joints, hands, curved areas | Large, flat scars on the tummy, chest or back |
| Under sunscreen or make-up | Yes | No |
| Common problems | Forgetting the second daily dose | Peeling off, rashes, sweat, losing stickiness |
| Example Australian prices | Genova Silicone Scar Gel 30ml $52.95 | Dermal Therapy Silicone+ patches $26.99; Cica-Care sheet 3cm x 12cm $44.99; Bare Mum strips $99.90 |
Sheets need replacing when they lose their stick, usually every 2–4 weeks, so work out the cost over a full 12-week course before comparing prices.
Who should choose gel, and who should choose sheets after 45
Gel may suit you better if your scar is on your face, neck, hands or a joint; you want it invisible under clothes or make-up; or your skin has become more sensitive to adhesives. Many women find gel sits more comfortably under a waistband on a C-section scar.
Sheets may suit you better if your scar is long, flat and easy to cover; you would rather apply something once a day; or you like the gentle pressure a sheet gives. Some practitioners suggest gel by day and a sheet at night for stubborn raised scars.
After 45, skin is often thinner and more easily irritated. If adhesives have given you a rash before, gel is usually the easier option. Our C-section scar care guide covers timing for that scar in detail.
Genova Silicone Scar Gel: where it fits
If gel is the right format for you, Genova Silicone Scar Gel is one option. It is a silicone gel with added peptides, squalane and vitamin D3, made in Australia. It dries clear and sits under clothing and sunscreen. For longer scars, the 12-week two pack is $94.95. We do not make sheets, and if sheets suit your scar better, they are an equally valid choice.
Pros and cons of silicone gel
Pros:
- Invisible once dry, works under SPF and make-up
- Easy on curved, moving or visible areas
- No adhesive, cutting or washing
Cons:
- Needs applying twice a day, every day
- Can cost more than sheets on very large scars
- No pressure effect
Who it is for, and who it is not for
It may suit you if your scar is fully healed, under 18 months old or still raised and red, and in a place where sheets would be awkward.
It is not for you if the wound is still open or scabbed, the scar is pitted, or you have a keloid that is growing, which needs a doctor. See your GP or surgeon about any scar that is painful, spreading or changing.
Realistic expectations
With either format, itch often settles within a few weeks. Changes in height, redness and firmness take 8–12 weeks or more, and scars keep maturing for 12–18 months.
Neither gel nor sheets will remove a scar, fill in a pitted scar or shrink an established keloid. Results vary from person to person.
How to use silicone gel or sheets on a scar: step by step
- Wait until the wound is closed. No scabs, stitches or weeping. Follow your surgeon's advice first.
- Clean and dry the skin. Silicone works best on clean, dry skin.
- Gel: apply a thin layer twice a day. Let it dry for a minute before clothing or sunscreen.
- Sheets: build up wear time. Start with a few hours a day and increase to 12–24 hours. Wash the sheet daily and replace it when it loses its stick.
- Protect the scar from sun. Use SPF 50+ over gel, or cover a sheet, for at least 12 months.
- Keep going for at least 12 weeks. Take a photo each month in the same light to judge progress.
Silicone scar gel and sheet questions women over 45 ask most
Do silicone gel sheets work on scars?
They can help raised and new scars look flatter, softer and less red, and they are a first-line option in scar guidelines. Silicone gel appears to work just as well.
How long do you leave silicone scar sheets on?
Most brands suggest building up to 12–24 hours a day, removing the sheet to wash it and the skin. Use them for at least 12 weeks.
What are the disadvantages of silicone scar sheets?
They can peel off, show under clothes, trap sweat and cause rashes, and they are hard to use on the face or joints. They also need regular washing and replacing.
What is the best silicone scar gel in Australia?
Look for a gel with silicone listed high in the ingredients, a clear finish, and a price you can sustain for three months. Our best scar cream in Australia guide compares the main options.
Do silicone sheets or gel work on old scars?
Both work best on scars under two years old. Older scars may soften a little and feel more comfortable, but usually change less. Our guide to silicone for old scars explains why.
Gel or sheets, the evidence points the same way: silicone helps, and consistency matters more than format. Choose the one that fits your scar and your day. For timelines, see how long scars take to fade, and if your scar itches, our guide to why scars itch may help.
Silicone scar gel for healed scars
Dries clear, sits under clothing and sunscreen, and ships from Australia.
12-Week Course, 2 pack
2 x 30ml. Enough for a full course on a longer scar.
Made in Australia. For fully healed skin only. Results vary from person to person.
Individual results vary. Genova Silicone Scar Gel is a cosmetic product designed to support the appearance of healed scars. It is not a substitute for advice from your GP, dermatologist or surgeon. Brand names belong to their owners and are not affiliated with Genova Skincare. Prices were checked on 25 September 2026 and change with promotions.
Sources:
- Pruksapong C, Burusapat C, Hongkarnjanakul N. Efficacy of silicone gel versus silicone gel sheet in hypertrophic scar prevention of deep hand burn patients with skin graft: a prospective randomized controlled trial and systematic review. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open. 2020;8(10):e3190.
- Gold MH, Berman B, Clementoni MT, et al. Updated international clinical recommendations on scar management: part 2, algorithms for scar prevention and treatment. Dermatologic Surgery. 2014;40(8):825-831.
- Bleasdale B, Finnegan S, Murray K, Kelly S, Percival SL. The use of silicone adhesives for scar reduction. Advances in Wound Care. 2015;4(7):422-430.
- O'Brien L, Jones DJ. Silicone gel sheeting for preventing and treating hypertrophic and keloid scars. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2013;(9):CD003826.
- Australian retailer listings (Chemist Warehouse, Dermal Therapy, Bare Mum), checked 25 September 2026.
