Effects of silicone gel on burn scars.
OBJECTIVE
To study the efficacy of silicone gel applied to hypertrophic burn scars, in reducing scar interference with normal function and improving cosmesis.


METHODS
A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 38 people with hypertrophic burn scars. Each scar was divided into two segments; silicone gel sheet was applied randomly to one of the two and placebo to the other. Participants were seen again after 1 and 4 months. Their data and wound characteristics were collected using the Vancouver scar scale.


RESULTS
The median age of participants was 22 years (1.5-60 years) and 16 were male; 4 did not attend follow-up and were excluded from the study. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics. Although after 1 month all scar scale measures were lower in treated areas, only the vascularity scale was significantly different between the two areas. After 4 months, all scale measures were significantly lower in the silicone gel group than in the control group, except for the pain score.


CONCLUSIONS
Silicone gel is an effective treatment for hypertrophic burn scars.
Momeni
Mahnoush
M
Motahary Burn and Reconstructive Centre, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Hafezi
Farhad
F
Rahbar
Hossein
H
Karimi
Hamid
H
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002056:Burns / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017439:Cicatrix, Hypertrophic / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020034:Silicone Gels / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
D020034:Silicone Gels