The Latest in Scar Treatment – Just in Time for Flawless Spring Skin
Posted by admin on April 6, 2009 under Uncategorized | 
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Full of Fresh Starts, Skin Too Can Blossom as New Scar Treatment Proves Promising for Surgical and Other Stubborn Skin Scars
Today there are more options available to address the obtrusive appearance of some scars.
Scars can be one of the most unsettling problems following an already distressing trauma or surgery. The reparative result of a wound to the skin, a scar is a natural part of the healing process though can vary based on a person’s age and the location of the wound.
For years, Mederma (Merz Pharmaceuticals) has been the mainstay of over-the-counter treatment available in drugstores. Mederma’s ingredients include onion extract, an anti-infective, purified water, PEG-4, xanthum gum, methylparaben and sorbic acid. And recently allantoin has been added to stimulate healthy tissue growth. An even newer version of Mederma contains SPF 30. This added protection can prevent discoloration of scars subjected to the sun.
The newer formation containing allantoin was recently studied for effectiveness. Superficial and mid-dermal wounds (non surgical incisions) were created and allowed to heal for two weeks. Those wounds treated with Mederma gel had an improved appearance and were not as red as those left untreated. A 2006 study involving 24 patients with surgical wounds compared the onion extract gel of Mederma with Aquaphor (petrolatum-based product) and found no difference between the products.
Dermatix Ultra Advanced Scar Treatment is another new product available to treat scars. According to the company, Valeant Pharmaceuticals, the silicone gel has been shown to flatten, smoothen and soften scars. It is designed to decrease abnormal scarring and reduce the risk of hypertrophic (enlarged and thickened) scars. Dermatix Ultra can be purchased from a physician.
Other Scar Reducing Procedures
Scars can also be surgically revised, either to reduce the width or change the direction in order to decrease the appearance of the scar. Other less invasive procedure to reduce the appearance of some scars include Dermabrasion, which uses a sanding technique to remove the rough top layer of the skin. And fillers such as collagen and hyaluronic acid, which is used in also treating connective tissue disorders, can be injected.
Laser resurfacing and pulsed dye lasers can also be used depending upon the characteristics of the scars.
Today there are more options available to address the obtrusive appearance of some scars. Though, one should have realistic expectations. Gels and surgical interventions are still limited in the results they can achieve and may not eliminate the scar completely. A physician can advise on the use of multiple modalities to reduce the appearance and symptoms of scars more effectively.