title: Prevention of postsurgical scars: comparsion of efficacy and convenience between silicone gel sheet and topical silicone gel.
abstract: To date, few studies have compared the effectiveness of topical silicone gels versus that of silicone gel sheets in preventing scars. In this prospective study, we compared the efficacy and the convenience of use of the 2 products. We enrolled 30 patients who had undergone a surgical procedure 2 weeks to 3 months before joining the study. These participants were randomly assigned to 2 treatment arms: one for treatment with a silicone gel sheet, and the other for treatment with a topical silicone gel. Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) scores were obtained for all patients; in addition, participants completed scoring patient questionnaires 1 and 3 months after treatment onset. Our results reveal not only that no significant difference in efficacy exists between the 2 products but also that topical silicone gels are more convenient to use. While previous studies have advocated for silicone gel sheets as first-line therapies in postoperative scar management, we maintain that similar effects can be expected with topical silicone gel. The authors recommend that, when clinicians have a choice of silicone-based products for scar prevention, they should focus on each patient's scar location, lifestyle, and willingness to undergo scar prevention treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Bucheon St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Bucheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Sue-Min
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-0894-5207
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Bucheon St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Bucheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jung-Sik
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9603-8235
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Bucheon St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Bucheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Jung-Ho
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-3800-5494
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Bucheon St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Bucheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Jin
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9046-9907
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery, Bucheon St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Bucheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Joon
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2678-9092
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Jun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011897:Random Allocation; D020034:Silicone Gels / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013518:Surgery, Plastic / Q000379:methods*; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000628:therapy; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D020034:Silicone Gels
keywords: Cicatrix; Postoperative Period; Prevention and Control; Wounds and Injuries