An Affordable Alternative To Silicone Scar Treatments
By www.menhealthonline.biz
Silicone has fast become the starchild of scar removal products. Silcone is made from the combining of oxygen and silcon atoms. This ingredient retains moisture and creates a protective barrier. The Food and Drug Administration has approved silicone in over-the-counter drugs as an antimicrobial, antifungal, pain relieving and skin protecting ingredient.
Notwithstanding, many OTC scar treatments contain 5% silicone as the "active ingredient". The problem with these OTC drugs is that a mere half ounce of this treatment can cost between $20 to $35US.
Other forms of silicone include common cosmetic ingredients like cyclomethicone. Cyclomethicone is used in high concentrations in hair care products like hair glossers and frizz reducing serums. But unlike pricey vials of scar serum, hair glossers may cost a reasonable $0.50 to $2.00 per ounce.
Alternative silicones at a reasonable price
Products that contain high amounts of silicones include hair glossers made by Proclaim, ic (Inter Cellular) and John Freida. What's more, almost every hair care product manufacturer has released a generic frizz reducing gloss whose primary ingredient is a member of the silicone family.
These products are easy to spot because the ingredients list will start with items like cyclomethicone or dimethicone. Most silicone derived ingredients will have the "one" ending.
How to get the most from silicone as a scar removing agent
While silicone is a superb skin protectant, some scientists have contested it's claim to fame as a scar removing agent. Bad results from using a silicone based product to reduce the appearance of scars most likely comes from using silicone in unproven ways.
For example, most silicone studies are done on new wounds or recent burns. In other instances, the silicone is used beneath band-aids. So, if you want to use silicone on a two, four or five year old scar, you probably will not like the results because your scar is hidden from the silicone by layers of dead skin cells.
How silicone reduces the appearance of scars
Here's the issue- wounded skin, burned skin and band-aids allow silicone to