Comparison of Efficacy of Herbal Extract Plus Silicone Gel and Silicone Gel for the Prevention Postburn Hypertrophic Scars
Kosin Nimpoonyakampong MD*, Lertpong Somcharit MD*, Nantaporn Namviriyachote Pham.D**, Banjerd Praditsuktavorn MD*, Kusuma Chinaroonchai MD*, Pornprom Muangman MD*
Affiliation : * Division of Trauma Surgery, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand ** Division of Pharmacy, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
Background : Post-burn hypertrophic scar is one of the condition that cause functional and cosmetic problem for patients.
Scar prevention gives better result treatment outcome.
Objective : This study was designed to compare the efficacy of post burn scar prevention between herbal extracts plus silicone
derivative gel and silicone gel.
Material and Method: Forty patients who have second-degree burns more than 20% of total body surface area (TBSA) were
selected and treated with three products; herbal extracts plus silicone derivative gel, silicone gel and placebo gel. Day 0 of this
study was the day of wound closure with complete epithelialization. Each gel was applied on separated sites of wound twice
daily for 24 weeks. The 10x10 cm2 wound area was evaluated by using Modified Vancouver Scar Scale (MVSS) at 0, 1st, 2nd,
4th, 8th, 12th, 16th, 20th and 24th week.
Results : A total of 36 patients completed the study. In MVSS evaluation, the pliability score in silicone gel group was lower than
placebo gel at 16th, 20th and 24th week (p = 0.0379, 0.0027, and 0.0005, respectively). Vascularity silicone derivative gel was
better than placebo at 16th, 20th and 24th week (p = 0.0135, 0.0314, and 0.004, respectively). Silicone gel was better than
placebo at 16th week (p = 0.0074).
Conclusion : Both herbal extracts plus silicone derivative gel and silicone gel might be effective in preventing hypertrophic
scar after burn injury and should consider to be used early after dermal burn wound healing especially in patients who have
risk to develop postburn hypertrophic scar.
Keywords : Silicone gel, Herbal extract plus silicone gel, Burn scar, Scar gel
