The topic of scars seems to come up all the time in my plastic surgery practice.  I have written on the topic of scars a number of times in the past.  Click here, here and here to read other blog posts on the topic of scars.  Also, here is an article from the Sioux City Journal that I helped with last year.

Recently published statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons estimate that roughly 175,000 scar revision procedures were performed 2011.  This was an increase of 9% from the previous year.

Plastic surgeons are typically well aware of the benefits of topical silicone in the prevention and treatment of unsightly scars.  Also, we tend be a bit obsessive when recommending that patients keep their scars out of the sun.  Sun exposure can cause an increase in redness or hyperpigmentation by increasing inflammation.

We have started selling a new scar treatment product directly to our patients called bioCorneum plus SPF30.  It is the only 100% silicone scar treatment available with SPF protection.  The product is FDA approved and three sizes are available:  10g, 20g and 50g.  Its manufacturer, Advanced Bio-technologies, insists, “no other topical scar treatment has been more widely studied.”  It helps to minimize the appearance of scars while providing protection from the sun’s harmful UV radiation.

BioCorneum® plus SPF30 provides an ideal healing environment for scars.  The gel is applied twice a day.  The gel dries within minutes, forming a clear sheet over the scar.  This barrier is waterproof, flexible and breathable.  Ensure that the area is clean and dry.  Make up may be applied over the gel once it has dried.  Make up may be applied over the gel once it has dried.  The gel can be used anywhere on the body and is ideal for areas which are frequently exposed to the sun.  The recommended length of treatment is 60-90 days.  BioCorneum® plus SPF30 is suitable for children and patients with sensitive skin.

The topical gel may be used on scars resulting from trauma, burns, surgery, and wounds.  Topical silicone is thought to hydrate skin and creates an environment that is optimal for normal healing.  The patented formula “has been shown to flatten, soften and smooth scars, reduce discoloration, as well as relieve itch, pain and discomfort of scars.”

In 2002, the International Clinical Recommendations on Scar Management were published in the Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.  The only non-invasive treatment that could be recommended in the paper was topical silicone.

Another study by Drs. Signorini and Clemontoni published in the journal Aesthetic Plastic Surgery in 2007 showed that “fresh surgical scars treated with the tested product (topical silicone gel) showed significantly better outcomes than those untreated in a prospective trial involving a group of 160 patients.”

More recently, Dr. Martijn van der Wol and colleagues looked at the use of topical silicone gel in the treatment of burn scars, and they published their results in the Journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in 2010.  They concluded, “topical silicone gel significantly improves the surface roughness of burn scars, and patients experience significantly less itching in the first half year after application.”

I have recommended the use of other topical silicone gels in the past such as Scarguard® and KeloCote®, but I am really excited about the prospect of being able to provide a treatment that utilizes a topical silicone with SPF protection as well.  More information can be obtained at the bioCorneum® plus SPF30 website.