AcuScar Review - Does It Really Work?

When it comes to products designed to help reduce the appearance of scars, experts are pretty clear about one thing. Silicone is the most effective treatment, and if the scar cream you’re considering doesn’t contain silicone in some form, it’s not worth a second look.

Silicone locks in moisture, and according to Los Angeles-based dermatologist Dr. Jessica Wu, that moisture is the key to successful scar prevention.

“If you slice a finger open as you’re cutting your bagel in the morning, you have two edges of the wound. The new skin grows across that gap. If the wound dries, a scab forms between the two edges,” she told Time magazine. “Now the skin has to grow down and across, like it encountered a boulder. It’s likely to lead to a depressed, pitted scar.”

That happens when excess collagen fibers have to grow around the scab, resulting in uneven production of the skin protein, which creates the scarred area.

Moisture, which silicone seals in, helps slow the production of excess collagen, so the wound heals more evenly, and is less likely to result in a scar.

Acuscar is formulated using silicone, the key ingredient recommended by experts to help heal scars, primarily because it creates a protective barrier over the skin that still allows oxygen to reach the skin’s surface while moisture is sealed in.

But Is The Silicone in AcuScar Enough?

The makers of Acuscar claim that the product is effective on burn scars, surgical scars, raised acne scars and stubborn keloid scars because it contains two different types of silicone, cyclopentasiloxane dimethicone, a waterproof silicone that creates a protective layer over skin that traps in moisture, and dimethiconol, a silicone-base polymer that is similar to dimethicone but brings with it emollient properties that moisturize the scarred area.

It sounds good, but the Acuscar website – the only place where Acuscar is available (it is not available through Amazon or any other vendor) – does not include any before and after photographs or any positive or negative consumer reviews, so there’s no way to know whether or not the product is effective.

Consumers have to rely on the product’s website, or do some digging on their own, often visiting websites that link back to the Acuscar site, so still offer little by way of unbiased information.

A consumer safety site gives Acuscar a rather low rating of 2 out of 5 stars for a variety of reasons, including one important not consumers should know before placing their order. Even though Acuscar Silicone Scar Gel is available with a buy one get one free offer - $99 before shipping and handling charges are added - there is no money-back guarantee, which should give consumers pause when considering purchase of the product. While you can get your money back for unopened bottles if you make the request within 30 days of purchase, you’ll pay a 25 percent restocking fee.

Does Acuscar Really Work?

Although it is made of 100 percent silicone, there are some problems with the Acuscar formula from the outset, most importantly, the product does not address what happens to the skin beneath the scar, where healing can begin.

Both scars and healing occur in the dermis, or middle layer of skin, which is made up of collagen and elastin, the two main proteins of the skin. Collagen and elastin levels will determine the elasticity, texture, firmness and radiance of your skin.

Scars form when collagen production goes into overload, and scars can begin to heal when new collagen cells form beneath the scar and surface cells are sloughed away.

According to multiple studies, in addition to silicone -  which helps create a semipermeable layer over your skin, trapping in moisture while still allowing oxygen and antioxidants to reach your skin to promote healing  - scar removal creams should contain collagen boosters along with other skin-friendly ingredients.

A good scar treatment cream will include ingredients that perform a variety of functions, not only boosting the production of collagen, but also lightening the color of a scar, sloughing off surface layers and improving the texture of an existing scar.

Is Selevax a Better Option?

If you’re looking for a superior scar cream , Senvie’s Selevax not only includes silicone in the form of dimethicone, it also features a nutrient-dense ingredient list that goes beneath the skin’s surface to the dermis layer, where healing begins.

Selevax includes rich moisturizers such as shea butter, a tropical nut butter that melts into skin, antioxidant-rich vitamin, C, D and E as well as both rose hip and arnica oils, both of which have been clinically proven to improve the color and texture of scar tissue. Selevax, which is two-thirds the price of Acuscar, also includes vitamin A to not only boost production of collagen, which ensures that the skin beneath the scar is healthier, but also speed the turnover of surface cells, so the healthy new cells beneath are revealed faster.

Selevax is made in the United States and offers a variety of benefits designed to help you feel comfortable when making your purchase, including customer reviews, before and after photos and a money-back guarantee if you don’t see similar results.

Selevax is available here and Amazon.com.