What is the best scar cream for you and your skin? All scar creams claim to improve the appearance or texture of scars, but how do you know which one is really the best for you?
Surgery, cuts, acne, and stretch marks are just a few causes of unsightly scars. These can cause embarrassment or social stigma, causing many individuals to seek treatment with an over the counter scar cream.
Do your research before buying. If you can, check the medical literature. While virtually all creams sold for scars make amazing claims, very few have any scientific evidence to support them. Most people are left disappointed when the results fall well short of expectations. Ironically, some products can even make scars worse.
Many products contain Vitamin E. Multiple scientific and clinical studies have shown that vitamin E does not help get rid of scars. In up to 90% of cases, vitamin E either fails to improve, or even worsens the appearance of scars. To add insult to injury, 1 in 3 people develop an allergic dermatitis. Contact allergy to vitamin E can cause redness, itching, swelling and flaking. Because of this, vitamin E is not the vitamin of choice for scar treatment.
Onion extract (contained in Mederma skin care products) is another example. What do the studies show?.... It is no better than plain petroleum jelly (ie Vaseline) when it comes to improving scar appearance.
One vitamin that DOES improve scar healing is vitamin C. Studies show vitamin C normalizes collagen production within the scar tissue. InviCible contains two forms of stable vitamin C.
Scientific studies also show that silicone scar therapy, either in the form of gel or sheeting, helps fade and soften scars. Silicone (another ingredient in InviCible) is the gold standard in topical scar treatment.
Most skin care products (including most scar treatments) contain water which encourages bacterial growth after the product container is opened and the cream becomes contaminated. There are about 50 approved preservatives to keep products bacteria-free, but just a handful dominate the market: parabens, formaldehyde, metylchloroisothiazolinone, and methylisothiazolinone. These chemicals are among the most irritating preservatives. About 6% of people have a contact allergy to preservatives and fragrances. Allergies to formaldehyde are as high as 9%. InviCible does not contain any preservatives.
In terms of caring for your scars, it is important to keep your fresh wounds clean to optimize healing. It's fine to get wounds wet as long as you use clean water and a non-irritating soap like Dial. Pat the area dry before covering with a fresh dressing. Hydrogen peroxide is fine for first aid cleaning of a dirty wound but it should not be used after that - it's very good for killing germs but also damages healthy skin cells needed for healing.
Start using your scar treatment as soon as initial skin healing occurs. If it's a surgical scar, start as soon as the sutures are removed. Even the best scar treatments take time to improve scars so it is important you keep using your therapy of choice until you stop seeing an improvement. Also realize that scars continue to change for up to 2 years after the skin injury. It is during these first 2 years that you'll get the biggest "bang for your buck" from your treatment.
Protect scars less than 2 years old from the sun with sun block or clothing. Repeat, prolonged exposure to the sun can cause scars to become dark or more red, making them even more noticeable. Color changes are not as likely after 2 years.
Lastly, scar massage is very important - most plastic surgeons recommend it. Firm massage helps break up scar tissue and will lead to a softer, flatter scar. Massage your scar cream into your scar firmly for the best results.
