How does cica gel work

Is still experimental and has little effect in reducing the height of the scar. Cosmetic camouflage is not a treatment but can be used to disguise a scar, birth mark, 'port wine' mark or vitiligo, a condition which destroys the colour in darker skin causing white patches.

Mostly used for new scars after large burn injuries. These uncomfortable garments must be worn for many weeks or months. Help and advice on scar therapies can be found at the Scar Information Service web site.

A scar is part of the normal healing process. The type of scar that forms can depend on a variety of factors including the nature of the injury, which part of the body, the size and the depth of the wound.

Scars consist of a non-living protein called collagen which is the most common tissue in the body. Some injuries will leave a flat white scar that will virtually fade away in time. CICA-CARE is appropriate for red and raised scars resulting from injury to any part of the body, including the face, from surgery or accidents, and may be cuts or burns. But, other scars known as hypertrophic and keloids can cause great discomfort both by restricting movement and by emotional distress.

A keloid scar is a red and raised area which can be uncomfortable and restricting. This type of scarring is a result of the build up of collagen in the area, making the scar larger than the actual size of the wound.

Hypertrophic scarring is also red and raised, but without the excess collagen build-up leaving the scar confined to the original wound area. In , in Australia, a children's hospital was looking for a material which could be used under pressure garments to ensure that pressure was being evenly distributed. It was noticed that where the silicone gel was the scar improved more rapidly.

Following this discovery in Australia, the clinical trials began in the UK, which found it was effective when used alone. The gel sheet covers the red, raised scar and produces a moisturizing effect which helps to flatten the scar, improve the texture and help to take away the colour. It can vary from person to person and from scar to scar.

Some people may see an improvement in a matter of days. When used correctly, best results are seen after months treatment time. After this, wear time should be increased by 2 hours per day until a minimum of 12 hours per day is reached. This build up is necessary to get the skin accustomed to the gel sheet. Each separate cut piece used should be cleansed twice daily and will last up to one month in use. Painless to remove and easy to replace, the adhesive sheet stays in place, although a light bandage or tape may give extra help to hold it in place.

It can be cut to size to fit most scars, it is durable and reusable and is ideal for either day or night use. No, it is intended as a temporary treatment but can be worn until you stop seeing further improvement in your scar.

The total treatment time is likely to be from months. CICA-CARE may be used on any old or new closed wounds, including red or raised scars resulting from surgical incisions such as cesarean sections, cosmetic surgery or accidental injury such as burns and cuts. Do not use on open wounds, infected wounds, scabs, or over stitches.

Yes, the scar may require more than one piece cut from the sheet to cover the scar. These should be placed edge to edge rather than overlapping each other. This may need to be increased in warm weather or during periods of physical activity. Mild soap can be used, but do not clean with household cleaning products. Also the stickiness of the product is restored after cleansing. It is safe for use on children and adults. However, results are expected to be most effective on more recent scars. If there is too much hair, then shaving may be an option.

We have no data on its use on babies below the age of 2 years. There are a several types of scars. Normal scars are usually flat and light coloured. Hypertrophic scars are red and raised and remain within the boundaries of the original injury. Keloids are also red and raised, but usually grow outside the original boundaries of the injury. Keloids can also be quite itchy. More information can be found at the Scar Information website.

It is not totally clear why some skin types scar more easily or readily than others. Nevertheless, it is believed that darker skinned people are usually at a higher risk. Bear in mind that even though there will always be some evidence of the scar, nobody has reported any recurrence of a scar after treatment with CICA-CARE. References: 1. Carney S. G Cason, J. P Gowar, J.

H Stevenson, J. McNee, A. Groves, S. Thomas, N. Hart and P. Auclair, Dockery G. Gold M. A controlled clinical trial of tropical silicone gel sheeting in the treatment of hypertrophic scars and keloid. Donald L. Comparison of 2 types of Silicone Gel Sheets. Get in touch. Scars consist of a non-living protein called collagen which is the most common tissue in the body. Some injuries will leave a flat white scar that will virtually fade away in time.

Cica-Care is appropriate for red and raised scars resulting from injury to any part of the body, including the face, from surgery or accidents, and may be cuts or burns. But, other scars known as hypertrophic and keloids can cause great discomfort both by restricting movement and by emotional distress.

A keloid scar is a red and raised area which can be uncomfortable and restricting. This type of scarring is a result of the build up of collagen in the area, making the scar larger than the actual size of the wound.

Hypertrophic scarring is also red and raised, but without the excess collagen build-up leaving the scar confined to the original wound area.

Cica-Care is a unique product for treating scars. In , in Australia, a children's hospital was looking for a material which could be used under pressure garments to ensure that pressure was being evenly distributed. It was noticed that where the silicone gel was the scar improved more rapidly.

Following this discovery in Australia, the clinical trials began in the UK, which found it was effective when used alone. Cica-Care works through a combination of effects. Also, prior approval of hospital ethical committee was taken before the study. The silicone gel was applied as a thin film twice a day. It was rubbed with fingertips for minutes. For fresh scars, treatment was started just days after wound closure or after days.

The scars were evaluated at monthly intervals. The appearance of scar, including scar type, scar size and scar color was assessed by the physician. We classified hypertrophic scar as a red or dark pink, raised elevated sometimes itchy scar confined within the border of the original surgical incision, with spontaneous regression after several months and a generally poor final appearance.

A keloid is instead classified as a scar red to brown in colour, very elevated, larger than the wound margins very hard and sometimes painful or pruritic with no spontaneous regression. Patients were observed and the results were compared at monthly follow up examinations. Follow up was done for 6 months. All scars were measured and photographed before treatment onset. Scars were graded 1 to 4 on the basis of criteria in Table 1.

Final photographs were taken at this time. Eleven cases Male:Female ratio was Side effects were few. Allergic reaction to silicone gel was seen in one case and mild desquamation was seen in 2 cases. Since the early s, silicone gel sheeting has been widely used in the treatment of hypertrophic scars and keloids. Several clinical studies and reviews have confirmed its efficacy. While many treatments have been suggested in the past for scars, only a few of them have been supported by prospective studies with adequate control group.

Only two treatments can be said to have sufficient evidence for scar management; topical application of silicone gel sheeting and the intralesional injection of corticosteroids. It may also lead to skin irritation, which can require discontinuation of treatment, especially in hot climates.

Gel sheeting is effective for scar control, but patient compliance with the method is not always satisfactory. They usually are contraindicated for large areas and for children. Self drying silicone gel is appealing because it is effective, no fixation is required; it is invisible when dry; and sun blocks, makeup or both can be applied in combination.

However, on areas of the body covered by clothes, it must be perfectly dry before the patient dresses, and this may not be always practical. All the patients felt the gel was easy to apply, but some complained of prolonged drying time. The use of a hair dryer was recommended to overcome this problem. When the scars are located in visible areas, especially on the face, patients can experience psychological discomfort with the visibility of the treatment.

In warm climates, skin reactions are relatively common, often leading to treatment interruption. Topical silicon gel is safe and effective treatment for hypertrophic and keloidal scars.

It is easy to apply and cosmetically acceptable. Gently clean the scar and surrounding skin with a mild soap and rinse in clean warm water. Thoroughly dry the scar and surrounding skin. Remove gel sheet from tray. Cut gel sheet to fit scar size with a small overlap over the surrounding skin. Remove printed plastic sheet. Apply gel sheet, adhesive side to the scar, without stretching. Continue to increase wear time by two hours per day until a minimum of 12 hours per day is reached.