Silicone gel sheeting effectively treats long-standing and fresh scars, according to research by Dr. B.E. Katz in 1995 and published in the dermatological journal Cutis. You can buy the sheeting at your local pharmacy for approximately $10 to $20 dollars per package. Surgeries are likely to cause keloid-type scarring in particular, which results from injuries to the deeper layers of the skin and can often overgrow the initial boundaries of the wound. According to Dr. Katz's research, silicone gel sheets can prevent the formation or reduce the appearance of keloid scars.
Step 1
Allow your surgical wound to heal to the point where it is safe to apply and remove an adhesive silicone gel sheet. After a fresh surgery, you should follow your doctor's recommendation regarding the timing of this. If the scar you wish to treat is from an old surgery, you need not worry about allowing time for additional healing.
Step 2
Shave around the scar to remove hair in the surrounding area. The silicone gel sheeting will bind to the area more effectively this way.
Step 3
Apply a silicone gel sheet to the scar and keep it there for 12 to 24 hours before changing it. Some gel sheets can be washed and reused.
Step 4
Treat your scar with silicone gel sheeting as described for at least two months to notice a difference. If the surgical wound was fresh, the silicone gel sheeting may be able to prevent a noticeable scar from forming at all.
Things You'll Need
- Silicone gel sheets
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