Dermatix vs Dermatix Ultra in Australia: Which One, What It Costs and What Else to Consider After 45
Quick summary
Dermatix is the silicone scar gel on almost every Australian pharmacy shelf, sold in two versions. Standard Dermatix is a plain silicone gel. Dermatix Ultra adds a vitamin C ester to the silicone, and the brand describes it as its enhanced formula for more serious scars such as surgical ones.
For most raised or red scars, the silicone is the part with research behind it, and both versions have it. We could not find an independent trial comparing the two formulas head to head. What changes the result more is whether you have enough gel to use it twice a day for three months or longer.
At Genova Skincare we make an Australian silicone scar gel, so this comparison has our own product in it. Prices were checked on 22 September 2026, they move week to week, and results vary from person to person.
30ml, made in Australia. Twice the volume of a standard 15g pharmacy tube. A cosmetic silicone gel for fully healed scars that dries clear and sits under sunscreen and makeup. Free standard delivery on Australian orders over $50, with a 30 day money back trial.
Dermatix or Dermatix Ultra: which one suits a scar after 45?
Start with what the two tubes share. Standard Dermatix lists cyclopentasiloxane and dimethicone, which are silicones, and nothing else of note. Dermatix Ultra uses the same kind of silicone base, which the brand calls CPX technology, and adds a vitamin C ester.
Dermatix positions Ultra as the one for more serious scars, such as those left by surgery. That is the brand's framing, and it is fair to say the extra ingredient is there. What we could not find is independent research showing Ultra changes a scar more than the standard gel does.
At Genova Skincare we hear this question from women over 45 most weeks, usually standing at a pharmacy shelf. Our honest answer: if the price gap between the two tubes on the day is small, either is a reasonable silicone gel. If it is large, the standard one is not the lesser product for the part that matters, which is the silicone.
What Dermatix costs in Australia next to other silicone gels for women over 45
Dermatix is sold by iNova Pharmaceuticals through pharmacies and some surgical and dermatology practices, which is the opposite of the ScarAway situation, where the chains carry none of it. Being on every shelf means the price varies a lot by shop. Here is what we found on 22 September 2026.
| Option | Size | Australian price | Roughly per gram or millilitre | Where it is sold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dermatix (standard) | 15g | $25 to $52.99 | About $1.67 to $3.53 | Chemist Warehouse, Priceline, MediADVICE |
| Dermatix Ultra | 15g | $33.99 to $59.99 | About $2.27 to $4.00 | Chemist Warehouse, Woolworths marketplace, MediADVICE |
| DermaScar | 15g | $17.30 | About $1.15 | Healthylife (checked 20 Sept) |
| Strataderm | 20g | $67.99 | About $3.40 | Chemist Warehouse (checked 18 Sept) |
| Genova Silicone Scar Gel | 30ml | $52.95 | About $1.77 | Direct from us |
| Genova 12-Week Course, 2 pack | 2 x 30ml | $94.95 | About $1.58 | Direct from us |
Two caveats. Grams and millilitres are not interchangeable for silicone gel, so the per unit column is a rough guide, not a like for like figure. And the same Dermatix tube was listed at under $30 in one chain and over $50 in another on the same day.
We are not the cheapest line here. DermaScar comes in under us per unit, and standard Dermatix on a Chemist Warehouse discount is close to level. Strataderm is sold as a scar therapy product and regulated accordingly, and Dermatix is marketed by a pharmaceutical company through pharmacies, while ours is a cosmetic silicone gel. They are not the same category of product and we are not claiming they are.
What we will say is arithmetic. Dermatix's own guidance is that a 15g tube lasts about two months on a scar around 15cm long, and its minimum course is 60 to 90 days, longer for surgical scars. On a hip, knee or abdominal scar that usually means two tubes or more. Our buyer's guide to silicone gel for scars works through the quantities by scar length.
See the Genova 12-Week Course →
How to use Dermatix, or any silicone gel, on a scar after 45
The directions are nearly identical across brands, and following them matters more than which tube you pick.
- Wait until the wound has fully closed, with no scab, weeping or open area.
- Clean and dry the skin, then apply a very thin layer. A layer you can see is too much and will take longer to dry.
- Let it dry before clothing, sunscreen or makeup goes on. Dermatix says four to five minutes. Ours dries in about thirty seconds.
- Repeat morning and night, every day.
- Keep going for at least two to three months, and longer for surgical or burn scars, before you judge it.
Do not layer it over other scar creams or antibiotic ointments. Keep it away from the eyes. If you get redness or a rash, stop and ask your pharmacist.
What silicone gel can realistically do for scars in mature skin
Silicone is the best supported approach you can buy without a prescription for a raised or red scar, and the honest version of that has two halves. A Cochrane review by O'Brien and Jones found silicone improved scar thickness and colour, and the same authors described the evidence as poor quality and highly susceptible to bias. International scar management guidelines published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery still name silicone as a first-line option.
The mechanism is physical. The film holds water in the scar, and a well hydrated scar tends to lay down less excess collagen, which is what makes it sit raised and firm. Research in Seminars in Plastic Surgery describes scar maturation as a twelve to eighteen month process.
Mature skin remodels more slowly through perimenopause and beyond, so expect the longer end of any timeline on the box. Our complete guide to fading scars with silicone gel covers this in more depth.
Realistic expectations
With Dermatix, Dermatix Ultra or ours, itch and tightness often settle first, within a few weeks. Changes in colour and texture come slowly across eight to twelve weeks of twice daily use, and surgical scars may need six months or more.
Older scars change less than fresh ones. No silicone gel removes a scar. Results vary from person to person.
What Dermatix and other silicone gels cannot do after 45
None of them fill a pitted or sunken acne scar, because the missing tissue sits below the surface. None of them help stretch marks.
None of them will settle a large or growing keloid on their own. A scar that is spreading past its original edges, painful or changing needs a doctor, and our guide to keloid scars after 45 explains where that line sits. And vitamin C in a scar gel does not make it a pigmentation product. If dark marks are your main concern, that is a different conversation.
Who should skip Dermatix or any silicone gel after 45
Wait, do not buy yet, if the wound is still open, weeping or scabbed. Dermatix says plainly its gel is not for open wounds, and neither is ours. When to start scar gel after surgery covers the timing.
Look elsewhere if the scar is pitted rather than raised, it is a stretch mark, or what bothers you is colour rather than texture.
See a doctor first if the scar is growing, painful or changing in a way that worries you.
Skip Ultra specifically if you are buying it only because it costs more. Pay for the extra ingredient if you want it, not because you assume the standard gel is weaker at the silicone part.
Dermatix questions Australian women over 45 ask most
What is the difference between Dermatix and Dermatix Ultra?
Both are silicone gels. Ultra adds a vitamin C ester and is positioned by the brand for more serious scars. We could not find independent research comparing the two formulas directly.
Is Dermatix really effective?
Dermatix is a silicone gel, and silicone has the best support of any scar option you can buy over the counter, though the research quality is modest. It changes how a scar looks and feels over months, and results vary.
Can Dermatix remove scars?
No silicone gel removes a scar, whatever the brand. It can help a raised or red scar look flatter, softer and less noticeable with consistent use.
How much is Dermatix at Chemist Warehouse?
On 22 September 2026, standard Dermatix 15g was listed there from $25 and Dermatix Ultra 15g at $36.99, with other chains charging up to about $60. For more gel per purchase, ours is $52.95 for 30ml.
Is Dermatix or Strataderm better?
Both are silicone gels for closed scars. Dermatix is applied twice daily and Strataderm is described as once daily, and Strataderm usually costs more per gram. Our Strataderm pricing guide has the sizes.
What is the best scar gel in Australia?
The one you will use twice a day for three months or more, in a quantity that lasts the course. Our 12-Week Course is sized for exactly that.
Dermatix is a sensible, easy to find silicone gel, and choosing between the standard and Ultra tubes matters less than the label suggests. Pick on price and size, work out how many tubes your scar needs, and budget for the full course rather than the first tube. Whichever brand you choose, what changes a scar is putting it on every day for months.
Twice the gel of a pharmacy tube, made in Australia
A cosmetic silicone gel for fully healed scars. Dries clear in about thirty seconds, sits under sunscreen and makeup, and ships from Australia.
12-Week Course, 2 pack
2 x 30ml. For a longer scar, or a full course in one purchase.
Made in Australia. For fully healed skin only. Results vary from person to person.
Individual results vary. Dermatix and Dermatix Ultra are registered brands of their owner, marketed in Australia by iNova Pharmaceuticals, and are not affiliated with Genova Skincare. Genova Silicone Scar Gel is a cosmetic product designed to support the appearance of scars and is not a substitute for advice from your GP, surgeon or pharmacist. Apply only to skin that has fully closed. Australian prices quoted are from retailer listings checked on 22 September 2026 unless another date is shown, and change by retailer and promotion. Always read the label and follow the directions for use.
Sources:
- O'Brien L, Jones DJ. Silicone gel sheeting for preventing and treating hypertrophic and keloid scars. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2013;(9):CD003826.
- Mustoe TA, Cooter RD, Gold MH, et al. International clinical recommendations on scar management. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. 2002;110(2):560-571.
- Commander SJ, Chamata E, Cox J, Dickey RM, Lee EI. Update on postsurgical scar management. Seminars in Plastic Surgery. 2016;30(3):122-128.
- Dermatix directions for use, dermatix.com.au, and Dermatix frequently asked questions, dermatix.asia, accessed 22 September 2026.
- Australian listings for Dermatix and Dermatix Ultra: Chemist Warehouse, Priceline, MediADVICE, Cincotta Chemist and Woolworths marketplace, checked 22 September 2026.
