Scar Management: Mederma vs Silicone Gel

Scar therapy and management represent a significant part of today’s dermatologic and skin repair industries. In recent years, the realm of online retail opened the flood gates to countless scar reduction creams, oils, and gels. Advertisements for many of these products all claim to achieve similar results: flatter, smoother, and less noticeable scars after injury or surgery. One brand that has garnered much unwarranted attention over the years is Mederma, a popular scar gel that contains cepalin, an onion extract. There is a number of conflicting sources that seems to indicate no topical or cosmetic benefits are obtained by applying onion extract to one’s scar. In this article, we will further investigate the pharmacological effects of Mederma to find out if it really does what its advertisers claim. We will then compare Mederma to medical grade silicone, a clinically-proven solution to post-operative scar management.