Using Silicone Gel on a Scar
Benefits
There has been a great deal of research applied to discovering the benefits of using silicone gel in the healing process of a scar. It’s important to understand that for a scar to heal well, the skin’s condition needs to be in a “goldilocks” state – neither too dry nor too wet. Using silicone gel as a layer on top of a scar helps the surrounding skin to breathe without it drying out. The gel also helps to keep bacterial infection under control. Importantly, silicone gel helps to decrease itching of the application site.
Research has indicated that silicone gel has had great success in the treatment of a variety of different types of scars, including Keloid, Hypertrophic and scars which are left from burns and trauma. Surgical scars and C section scars can react very well to the use of a silicone-based gel product.
It’s important to note that a scar needs to be fully healed before the application of a silicone gel is applied to a scar. It’s therefore necessary to speak to a surgeon or general practitioner before using any product to improve the look and feel of a scar
Application
The application of a silicone-based scar gel is usually very simple. The silicone gel is usually squeezed onto an index finger from a bottle or tube by the user and is applied directly on the scar affected skin. The gel usually takes up to 1 minute to be applied to the scar itself, drying quickly afterwards. It is usually recommended that the scar gel is applied at least twice per day to the required area, with the suggestion of day and night-time application. On a wound which has healed, the silicone gel will cover the required area easily, spreading to cover the site by a fingertip. Most people using a silicone-based gel indicate that there is usually no stinging sensation when silicone is applied to the site of a scar. It’s easy and painless to use.
Ingredients
There are many different types of silicone scar gel available in Australia now. One of the best products within the silicone scar category is Genova Skincare’s Silicone Scar Gel. This product has 2 active ingredients of note. Firstly, it contains a medical grade silicone, which is very easily applied to the skin. Secondly, the gel has an active ingredient called Vanistryl, which is designed to loosen the skin tension surrounding the site of a scar. A further innovation which has now been developed by Genova Skincare in their scar gel is the inclusion of a probiotic active ingredient called Ecoskin. This probiotic is designed to improve the skin’s flora, strengthening its biological defences and improving the skin’s radiance by a restructuring and smoothing effect. Using a probiotic in a scar gel is a major step forward in skincare innovation.
Alternatives to a Silicone Gel
As with most formulations for the skin, there are several alternatives available to using a silicone-based gel for scar improvement. The most significant alternative to using a silicone gel is the use of a silicone-based gel adhesive sheet to cover and protect the site of a scar. Although a silicone sheet will provide a good basis for scar protection, it won’t be as flexible as a scar gel and will require the cutting of a sheet to fit the exact placement over a scar. The use of a scar sheet is outlined in an article by the National Library of Medicine and can be found here: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4486716/
Summary
A silicone-based scar gel is easily applied to the site of a scar and provides many benefits for its use. If you’re looking for a simple way to improve the look and feel of a scar, it is highly recommended that you seek out using a silicone-based gel after discussing its use with your healthcare professional.
