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Silicone Scar Treatment



Any injury or surgery on your skin may result in a scar.  While most scars improve over time, some scars may worsen and cause discomfort.  How your skin heals depends on many things such as where the scar is, your age, and how the injury occurred.  Below are common questions about scarring and information about silicone scar treatments used to improve scars.

 

When will my scar look better?

 

After a skin injury or surgery, a scar may look worse (more red and raised) for 2 to 4 months before it looks better.  In most cases, scars will improve for up to one year.  Most plastic surgeons will wait one year before thinking about a scar revision surgery.

 

What can I do to make my scar look better?

 

Although there are many products on the market that claim to improve scars, there is little proof to show that they really work.  Below are measures based on studies that have been shown to improve the way most scars look.

 

How should I treat my scar?

  • Massage the scar for 5 minutes, 3 times a day until it is soft and flat.  This may take a few months.
  • Limit exposure of the scar to sunlight.  If the scar is exposed to the sun, apply a SPF 30 sunscreen daily for the next 4 months.
  • Apply either silicone gel sheeting or silicone ointment as instructed.  These products must be used daily for at least 2 months to work.  Silicone gel is one of the few products proven to help improve scars.

If your drug store does not carry silicone scar treatment products, you may order them from these Allied Biomedical sources.

  • Cimeosil® Gel Sheeting is good for most scars on the body.
  • Cimeosil® Breast Reduction Scar Gel Sheet is ideal for use after breast reduction surgery.
  • Cimeosil® Scar Management Kit may be used for smaller scars.
  • Cimeosil® Scar Gel is good for your face or other areas where it is hard to apply the gel sheets.

You may contact them at 1-800-276-1322 or one of these websites:

 

www.alliedbiomedical.com/store/catalog.

 

www.alliedbiomedical.com/scarmanage.html

 

There are other silicone products you may wish to try.  A gel product similar to Cimeosil® Scar Gel is Hanson Medical’s Scarfade® which is used to treat scars on your face. 

 

You may contact them at:  1-800-771-2215 or http://scarfade.com

 



The information provided should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.

Last Updated: 02/17/2010

Copyright © 02/17/2010 University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority. All rights reserved. Produced by the Department of Nursing. UWH #6222

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