Topic: silicone tape on scars?

I love those silicone sheets. They have really helped my mast and node scars. I also bought those round areola sheets since my mast scar is around the areola. They are made of a thicker silicone. I have worn that sheet over my areola almost nonstop since last July. I can hardly see the scar anymore. And those sheets are so thick I keep it on through showers workouts and everything. Every few days I take it off and wash with soap. Once it dries it just sticks right back on. I am only on my second areola silicone sheet since July. They are expensive but last sooo long I think it is worth it.

I had to look. They are 3" circles from Scar FX. I bought them from makemeheal.com. I have not bought the regular sheets from Scar FX but they are probably out of the same material. I am really happy with it.

Noellech, Can I ask how long you need to wear them for?  You said you had been wearing them since July and your scar was good. Is there time where the scar is "done" and you don't have to worry about the scar anymore.

Yes, I don't know that much about it. I never even asked my PS, but I have been very happy. Actually now I see that they say the general Scar FX sheet should last three months. That is probably why I bought it in the first place, although the special shapes seem helpful too.

SamIam40, the website says wear 3 months for best results, as close to 24 hours a day as possible. They also say that some people report better results for even longer. I guess I have been wearing for about 6 months and the scars still seem to keep fading, albeit slowly and subtly. I do remember noticing the best improvement the first few months. I can see them but very thin, light and soft. They are not something someone else would notice unless they really looked. I guess because I am anticipating my exchange surgery and possible implant/lift on the other side I am still in the mode of keeping the sheets on. Otherwise I would probably quit now.

ASL - let us know if you find anything out about Cica Care. I haven't heard of that.

I wish i could tell everyone about ScarAway.  They are silicone sheets that work great and are reasonably priced.  I have found them at 29.99 for the treatment course supply.  They are soft and thin and do not pull on sensitive scar area when removed.    ( a REAL plus for me..any tape seem to pull too much coming off.) The surface is a soft smooth fabric (kind of feels like nylon)..protects me from the uncomfortable rubbing/friction of clothing.  An amazing scar treatment.  I wish I knew about it sooner.

Hi Pam! 

So glad to hear that maybe they are working for you!  If they are like my scars, they will keep getting better with use of the tape.  I had to put a bit of soap and kind of scrub the end where there was lint, but it did come off. 

Amy

Thanks for this thread! I really like hearing right from those of you that have used the products, especially sinc ethey are expensive, so I want to get the right thing!

Before I saw this thread, I ordered ScarAway from Amazon. I just put them on. I had a lift/reduction on my 'good' side, so I have alot of area to cover...all the way areound the areola and then the anchor shape going down and under...

since Noellech has had such good results with the Scar FX, I think I will bite the bullet and order the one that fits my scar shape, it's like $75! Cutting up another sheet makes for waste and it's hard to get things lined up so far in my first attempt.

Noellech, can I ask you and anyone else that have used these when you started? As in how long afer surgery? I have one spot that just now lost it's scab, so I haven't tried anything yet. I am 7 weeks out.

I also will try a sheet on my scar on the BC breast from my partial mast. It is a year old, but the website seems to say that even old scars can improve!

Keep posting with results, ladies. This is super helpful!

thanks,

Tay

Hi Tay!

I asked my PS about old scars and he said that he has seen improvement in them with the use of the silicone tape.  I started using it about 5 weeks maybe (?) after my exchange.  My PS just wanted to make sure that I was healed up before using it - don't want to pull on any tissue not healed yet.  

Good luck with it!  Hope it works on the old scar.  Be patient!

Amy

Oh no Car -  did you just get them?  Can you take them back  - sounds like they are defective!  Maybe they are old or something? 

Okay - thanks for the info car.  I think I'll check to see if there is a date on the boxes and check on of the tapes when I get home to see if they are okay.  I can't use even paper tape - I get a reaction to it.

I had an ugly keloid scar where my port was removed, and it also ached.  nothing worked on it until my dermatologist treated it with steroid injections, and then laser treatments.  finally it flattened out and faded and stopped hurting.  this is probably a last resort, but it does work. 

I think this is just a bad box, but a heads up about CVS's QA. Another box had about 4 of the 28 sheets patched together w/what looked like duct tape. They seem to be working--my picky PS was happy w/the scar though he said if it's still red a year out he wants to laser it. So, they seem to be doing the job w/some add'l paper tape. They're convenient and relatively cheap.

Hi Pam of the Miracle Strips. I'm not sure about your first question. The box says 3-4 days, at least 12 hours/day. I have no idea how quickly the silicone would wear down! I've been changing mine out (taped) every 4 days--but I do wear them almost 24/7 taking them off only for showering or intense cardio.

From what my PS told me, the strips should reduce any keloids/raised area/shininess. My abdominal scar is pretty purply/red (not worried aobut the ones north because of tattooing). He said that was a function of bloodflow in terms of healing and said that the strips wouldn't address that. Said to wear the strips for the rest of Feb. and we'd check a year postop to see how the abdominal scar is doing. If it's still purply/red, he said he could do some laser on it.

If you're just dealing w/mx scars, my bet is the color will fade much more rapidly than my abdominal scar. I'm still very tight, even after revision, and it's hard not to stretch the scar too much during Pilates. 

Guess what? I ordered and got the Scar FX piece from makemeheal.com and it didn't fit! I have a lift/reduction scar (think lolipop + anchor) and my aerola is too big! So frusterated, as I am sick of the patchwork method with smaller sheets and don't feel it will work as well.

So, I had to order the areloa piece separate...that cirlce is bigger. and then the anchor piece. The happy news is that customer service on the website is AMAZING. THe woman checked on everything and called me back in an hour. She put together a special order for me because I actually only need one of each, not a pair...which saved me money. So nice and understanding.

I seem to still have ends of stitches that want to come out through the inscion line...slowing the healing. Its been 9 weeks and my body has not fully dissolved the stitches! Weird.

I am taking picutres of the scars every couple of weeks, so I can see objectively what is happening...or not happening!

Will keep reporting back. This thread has good info, don't want it getting lost.

That's good news, Pam. I'm officially off mine now (per PS) and whereas my abdominal scar is still red, it's flat and not shiny. He said to wait to see, but might go after the redness w/laser (more his concern than mine). I have a few strips left and my poor nail tech had a cancerous mole removed from her face. I'm dropping them off at my next appt.