So, you have just purchased the top scar treatment product on the market and now all you have to do is apply it once a day and your scar will vanish, right? If only it were that easy. Over the past 15-plus years, we have had thousands of customers use our scar treatment products with varying levels of success. Over that time, we have gained a solid understanding of what it takes to get the most out of your scar treatment product. The list could go on and on, but we have narrowed it down to our top five tips as follows:
1) Consistency Is Key – This is likely the most important tip we could offer. All too often, users of scar treatment gels lose their motivation after only a few short weeks if they aren’t seeing dramatic results right away. In turn, they begin using the product less often and ultimately fail to achieve the results they had hoped for. We can’t emphasize enough how important it is to use your scar gel daily over an extended period of time. As a general rule of thumb, we recommend twice daily use for roughly 12 weeks. At that point, if you are still seeing improvement, by all means keep using the product. You paid for a full tube, so you may as well use it if there is still some left. It can’t hurt anything to use the product longer than you actually need to.
2) Massage the Scar – Spend a few minutes massaging your scar gel onto the scar. It is thought that the massage action aids in breaking down scar tissue. Our suggestion is to spend 3 to 5 minutes massaging the product onto your scar with each application, switching between circular (clockwise and counterclockwise) and up and down motions.
3) More Isn’t Better – Your scar won’t improve any faster if you use more product. A thin layer of product covering the entire scar will achieve the same results as a thick layer covering the entire scar. It won’t hurt anything to use more than you need to; however, your tube won’t last as long. You will get far more benefit by using just enough on each application and extending the life of the tube you purchased so you can use it over a longer period of time.
4) Nutrition – Proper nutrition provides building blocks needed to heal wounds and create healthy new tissue. Lacking certain nutrients such as protein, your body will break down existing healthy tissue and muscle to help heal wounds. Good nutrition also helps keep your immune system strong so that it can more effectively fight infection. The most important nutrients when it comes to wound healing are protein, water, Vitamins C and A, and zinc. Good sources of protein include meat, poultry, fish, dairy, eggs, tofu, soybeans, nuts and grains. Good sources of Vitamins A and C include spinach, kale, carrots, bell peppers, sweet potatoes, grapefruit, cantaloupe and strawberries, among others. Zinc can be found in animal-based foods such as red meat and poultry as well as in many types of seafood. When trying to cover all the nutritional bases, it is often a good idea to consider supplementation via multi-vitamins.
5) Apply Directly to Skin – Many scar treatment gel users want to use other products such as sunscreen or makeup also. That is fine, just make sure your scar gel is applied first. The scar gel must be in direct contact with the skin for it to be effective. Our suggestion is to apply the gel, massage it in and give it some time to dry. Then you can follow with other products such as makeup, sunscreen, etc.
If you found this information helpful and would like to learn more, we invite you to check out some of our other articles, visit our website or give us a call. If you have questions, we would love to help.