It is no secret that scars can be nasty things. For many, they can be a physical impairment that causes itching or pain in the region affected. They also tend not to help all that much in terms of issues of self-image – many people with visible scarring are very self-conscious about their scars, big or small.
Some scars – particularly the larger ones – are unfortunately unable to be gotten rid of completely. For the smaller ones, however, there are a few solutions that may be worth trying. So how do silicone scar sheets work? Let’s take a look to help you get started.
Defining a Scar
A scar is a region of fibrous tissue that sprouts in the place of normal skin, following an injury. It is a natural step in the body’s healing process, being a part of the wound repair cycle.
Most physical injuries leave some sort of scarring once healing has taken place. And unfortunately for us humans, only certain animals with complete regeneration capabilities can recover from an injury without visible scarring.
Scar tissue is typically of an inferior quality to that of normal skin tissue. Sweat glands and hair follicles may also not grow back in the scarred region.
Silicone Sheets
Silicone is a common method of scar treatment, as well as one of the most effective. Silicone helps to reduce the size of the scar, as well as treat its appearance, making it less noticeable or ugly.
Silicone also improves the texture of the scarred area, as well as helps to correct discoloration. It heals the skin by providing moisture, oxygen, and hydration.
Silicone sheets are a popular choice of scar treatment because they are one of the most convenient methods. You can leave a silicone sheet on all day, wearing it underneath your clothing, as well as overnight while you sleep.
The sheets come in many different sizes for many different scars. They are perhaps the safest method of scar treatment around, and can reduce the redness and itchiness of the scar.
Silicone sheets are universally accepted as the best way to treat scarring. They stop the scar from growing too large, and keep the skin flattened and soft. The sheets also protect from any outside dangers which may affect the healing of a wound, including bacteria and germs, as well as dirt from clothing.
These sheets are so renowned because they have very few side-effects, and are thus considered to be better than steroids or pressure application.
Silicone sheets can be a bit of an adjustment, but other than the initial discomfort they may add, they are a good choice for anyone looking to heal an unattractive looking scar.
It should be noted that the efficacy of these sheets seems to wane the longer the scar has been left untreated. Older scars do not heal as well as newer ones, but the sheets can still definitely help with their appearance and size.
Other Methods of Treatment
The best methods of scar treatment all use silicone. These include silicone sheets (as already mentioned), silicone gel, and silicone tape.
Silicone Gel
Silicone gel works in almost the exact same way as silicone sheets. It also promotes healing in the affected region, adding color and cleaning the texture.
Silicone gel is a liquid that can be applied to your affected scar region and rubbed in, similar to a cream. Once the gel has been applied, it can also be covered by silicone tape in order to localize the treatment to one area.
Silicone Tape
This method is often used by nurses on wounds following a surgery or operation. Silicone tape also has silicone gel applied to it, so its healing powers are effective, to say the least.
A piece of silicone tape on the scarred tissue can stop the scar from growing longer or thicker. We all know the pain of ripping a bandage off our skin when the sticky parts have become extra-sticky (especially if you have any hair in the area). Luckily, the tape is as easy to take off as it is to apply, with no ripping or added pain when it is pulled off the skin.
Final Thoughts
Although silicone-based products are considered to be the best and most effective method of scar treatment, surprisingly little is actually known about this. We know how and why the silicone should objectively promote the healing of tissue, but the circumstances under which silicone actually does have an effect are mostly unknown.
Still, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. If it is broken, like one’s skin after scarring has taken place, fix it. And there is no better place to start first than silicone sheets. So what are you waiting for? Now that you know how silicone scar sheets work and how you can use them, you can use the steps above to help your skin heal properly and reduce scarring with ease.