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.