There are many scar treatments on the market nowadays. With so many to choose from it’s extremely hard to know where to begin. The following scar healing treatments have been shown to safely get rid of scars:

Silicone Gel and Silicone Sheeting: The exact way in which silicone improves scar appearance is unknown. One theory is that silicone re-arranges the orientation of the skin’s molecules through an electrostatic charge. Another theory is that the scar improves because of the moisture trapped between the skin and the silicone gel/sheet barrier. Whatever the mechanism may be, one thing is for sure – silicone scar therapies work.

Silicone gel (Dimethicone) is as effective as silicone sheeting, is a lot easier to use, and has been certified as safe. The gel is simply massaged-in. Since there are no sheets to deal with, sun block, make-up, or any other skin regimen is easily applied over the treatment.

Vitamin C (L-Ascorbic Acid): Most people think vitamin E is the most important vitamin for scar healing. Vitamin E is a great anti-oxidant and protects the skin from sun damage but does not improve the way scars heal at all. Vitamin E also causes contact dermatitis in 33% of people who use it on their skin. In reality it’s vitamin C that is the most important vitamin for skin health and optimal scar healing. Vitamin C encourages the production of normal collagen fibers instead of the usual unorganized, haphazard collagen associated with uncontrolled scarring.

Vitamin C can cause some mild stinging when applied as it penetrates the skin. This is normal and eases off quickly.

Many skin care products that contain vitamin C in the ascorbic acid form are colored brown. This is to disguise the fact that the ascorbic acid has oxidized and become ineffective (oxidized ascorbic acid is brown too). For this reason, vitamin C skin care products that are brown to begin with should be avoided.

Botanicals (Natural Plant Extracts): Many plant extracts have anti-inflammatory properties and improve wound healing. Safe natural scar treatments include:

* Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadensis leaf extract)

* Licorice extract (ie Glycyrrhetinic acid, Stearyl glycyrrhetinate, Glabridin)

* Safflower seed oil (Linoleic acid)

* Sunflower seed oil (Oleic acid)

Aloe vera has been used to treat various medical conditions, and wounds in particular, for many centuries. It stimulates production of new amino acids which speeds up the production of the new skin layer. It is also a strong anti-inflammatory agent.

Licorice is an anti-inflammatory, improves wound healing and lightens dark pigmentation like dark scars, age spots, brown spots and melasma. It is also a very effective antimicrobial agent, particularly against the most common organism leading to acne. That’s right, acne is due to an infection which is why some people are prescribed antibiotics for break-outs. Licorice is used as part of acne regimens, both prevention and treatment because of this antimicrobial ability.

Both sunflower and safflower seed oils contain very high amounts of oleic and linoleic essential fatty acids. These acids are needed to maintain the skin’s top layer which maintains moisture. Moisture is vital for normal skin health and improved scar healing. Both these acids have also been shown to improve skin and scar elasticity.

To summarize, stable forms of vitamin C, silicone, and natural scar therapies including licorice, aloe vera, safflower and sunflower oils are all safe and can be used topically to improve scar healing and help get rid of scars.

Dr Chrysopoulo is a board certified Plastic Surgeon with a special interest in effective scar healing treatments that get rid of scars safely. He is also Chief Science Officer for InviCible Scars, a hypo-allergenic advanced scar therapy completely free of preservatives, fragrances, petroleum, mineral oil and alcohol.

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