Scar Gel for Burns

There are many remedies available to treat burn scars and some may be more effective than others.

Burns on skin can be caused by heat, electricity, chemicals, light, radiation or friction. Normally during a burn only the epidermal and dermis layers of the skin are damaged, though some burns may affect the muscle, bone and blood vessels. A scar is the body's way of healing the burn by replacing the lost normal skin with fibrous tissue. There are many topical remedies available to reduce or remove burn scars.

Silicone

Medical grade silicone has been shown to be beneficial in treating burn scars.

Silicone gel by itself has been found to be very effective in treating hypertrophic burn scars. Silicone used for scar treatment is made from medical grade silicone polymers. It is usually applied via a sheet and is used to reduce the volume and increase the elasticity of hypertrophic (red, raised) and keloid (shiny, dome-shaped pink or red) scars and burn wounds. It has shown effectiveness in clinical studies and has become commonly used by doctors and hospitals and can be purchased over the counter by private individuals.

Arnica

The alpine plant Arnica montana has been used as a homeopathic treatment for burns and scars. It can be prepared as a gel, cream or essential oil and is applied topically to reduce scarring, pain from burns, and bruising. Although it has a reputation among individuals as being highly effective, there are insufficient medical studies to ascertain its value scientifically.

Calendula

Extracts from the Calendula family have long been known to have beneficial skin healing effects.

Calendula arvensis, Calendula micrantha, and Calendula officianlis are different species of the plant commonly called the marigold, and extracts of this plant family have often been used to treat scars, burns and other skin infections. Calendula can be prepared as a cream or gel, either by itself or in combination with other extracts, and applied to scars to reduce redness and volume.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E capsules can simply be opened and applied directly to scars to promote healing.

Vitamin E is a family of eight related compounds that are either tocopherols or tocotrienols, four of which are found naturally in nature and four of which are synthetic. Vitamin E is an antioxidant and protects the body from the effects of free radicals, which can cause cellular damage. As a gel, it has shown effectiveness in reducing scarring as well as having many other benefits. It can be applied by itself or combined with other extracts as an effective burn scar gel. Scientifically there has not been enough testing or evidence to conclude its clinical effectiveness in treating burns or scars.

Onion Extract

Gels made with onion extract have been shown to be effective in healing scars.

Onion extract has long been a common ingredient in skin care and cosmetic products and is now used as a treatment for scars and burns. It has long been recognized that onion extract has strong antimicrobial effects and is used in products for treating hypertropic scars and keloids. Clinical studies have shown that onion extract exhibits anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic properties. There have been several clinical trials of gels containing onion extract that have shown it to be effective in treating scars, though there have also been studies showing it to be inconclusive.

References

• Silicone and Hypertrophic Scar Burns
• Effectiveness of Silicone treatment
• Calendula for Scars
• Arnica Information
• Vitamin E Information

Resources

• Onion Scar Gel Effectiveness in Healing Scars
• Information about Onion Extract