Scar Creams

Some surgeons suggest using a scar cream after surgery. With so many out there, another big challenge is choosing the right one for you and your baby. The options range from $20 silicone based scar cream all the way up to $300. So which one is right for you? Only you can decide that, but we hope we can help make your decision a little easier.

Essential Oils

Essential oils are quickly becoming a favorite amongst cleft moms, since they are an all natural approach to healing. Essential oils treat the scar on a cellular level and promote repair of the tissue to its original condition.

(Please note… You have to be extremely careful where you buy your essential oils, as you only want to use the best on your baby, and most “essential oils” on the market have been manufactured and are considered “perfume grade.” That means that they may contain additives that are not safe to be applied topically to the skin or to be ingested. doTERRA and Young Living have proven to be some of the best around, as they offer 100% pure essential oils, which are completely safe to apply topically and ingest.)

doTERRA’s Immortelle is a proprietary blend that supports skin on a cellular level. Unlike silicone based products, Immortelle is easily absorbed into the skin and can treat the scar all the way through, thus greatly reducing any scar tissue buildup. The ingredients of Immortelle are Frankincense, Hawaiian Sandalwood, Lavender, Myrrh, Helichrysum and Rose.

Cost: $92.67 retail $69.50 wholesale*

www.doterra-essential-oils.net

(*To inquire about wholesale cost please contact Cleftopedia)

“My son Eli was born with Pierre-Robin sequence and required a Mandibular/Jaw distraction at one week old. This required two linear scars along his jaw on either side to put the hardware on. The adjusters came out at his chin on both sides. At two months he had the hardware removed from his jaw and the doctor said after two weeks we should start scar massage to prevent the ones on his chin especially from puckering in. He did not give any direction on what to use so initially we started with some lotion or vitamin E. It did loosen up the scar tissue but it did not decrease the redness. I received “Immortelle” a specialized blend of essential oils from Doterra and once I realized it could be used on scars I started using that for his scar massage. I typically did scar massage twice a day rubbing the oil on my finger first then rubbing it into his skin. We did this for a several months whenever we would remember (which admittedly was probably not as often as we should have) I have been amazed by the results. I know some people have had concerns over using Immortelle because some of the oils are not generally regarded as safe for ingestion. My thought has been that it is a blend of many oils and usual “dose” of orally taken essential oils is a couple of drops. If I am rubbing it on my finger or even directly onto the scar it is probably about one drop (made up of many oils) so the amount going on the skin is an even smaller amount of any of these non-oral oils then a drop. Besides that if some is getting into my child’s mouth I would rather something natural like essential oils versus a chemical compound.” – Beth Reyman

You can also make your own blend by adding 6 drops of each Helichrysum, Frankincense, and Lavender to 5ml roller bottle. Empty 6 capsules of vitamin E and top the rest off with a carrier oil, such as Fractionated Coconut oil. Both of the babies in the before and after photos here have been using this blend with oils purchased from doTERRA.

Average cost for all three oils to make this blend is $200. This may seem pricey at first, but since you only use a few drops in the blend the bottles will actually last a very long time!

(Again, there are many places to buy essential oils and not every brand is meant for topical use, so always do your research and make sure they are safe for topical use and ingestion before you buy! We mention doTERRA often here because we have personal experience with this brand of oils and can vouch for their purity and effectiveness. Remember, a higher cost does not necessarily mean better quality and purity, but if you find an oil offered at a significantly cheaper price than everywhere else, this could indicate an issue with purity. To read more about purity as well as more about essential oils in general, we’ve found Aroma Web to be a great neutral source of information.)

Silicone Scar Creams

There are quite a few of options out there when it comes to a silicone based scar cream. Below you will find the three most popular scar creams that have been used amongst other cleft moms in the past.

Scarfade is a topical silicone treatment designed to help make scars less prominent. When scars form, the body naturally creates new tissue to close the gap created by injuries to the skin’s dermis. As the scar forms over several weeks and months, Scarfade scar treatment cream is used to make the tough new layer of skin softer. It adjusts the pigment to make the scarring less noticeable. There are several variations of Scarfade available. Which one to choose depends to some degree on the type and location of the scar. None are effective treatments for acne scars. All Scarfade products are medically proven to work through direct skin contact. They are easily tolerated by children and should be used for three to four months or until the scar is no longer noticeable.

Average cost $25

“Our cleft team in Chattanooga, TN recommends the use of ScarFade starting at 2.5 week post lip repair. My sons lip scar started pulling up about 3 weeks post repair. At first, I was putting the ScarFade on and massaging it in for about 30-60 seconds. His lip continued to pull and pull, and our surgeon started talking about a revision. He asked how I was applying the ScarFade and insisted I was doing it all wrong and gave me new directions. We have been using it “his way” (he says how its intended to be used) for 15 days and there is already a huge difference in my sons lip scar pull! So, this is what we do now. Twice a day- usually after breakfast and before bed- I get Sawyer in my lap and rub his scar in a circular motion. Once, the blood starts really flowing to it and gets red I apply a pea size amount of the ScarFade silicone gel to his scar and spread it out just enough to cover the whole scar. We leave it on thick and let his skin absorb it- it takes about 5 minutes. Once its dry and fully absorbed I let him down to play again. The silicone gel works from the inside out and that’s why massaging it in the skin really just wastes it. Its helped my son so much by letting it just absorb. I highly recommend ScarFade Silicone gel. When used properly you can see a difference very quickly.” -Jessica Norman

“We’ve been using Scar Fade since around 2-3 weeks post lip repair. I bought the 1/2 ounce size from Amazon. A little expensive for such a tiny tube, but you don’t use much, so it lasts awhile. I put a teeny tiny dab on my finger and then massage it into his lip in small circles. I do the massage during diaper change, then sing a song or make a silly noise. If I had to choose a product all over again, I would still choose Scar Fade. Very pleased with it!” – Jamie Neally

NewGel+E ointment is a medical grade, fast drying, hypoallergenic silicone gel with vitamin E that helps soften, flatten, smooth and fade scars. It is formulated to be used in the management of all types of scars, including hypertrophic, keloid and scars resulting from surgical procedures, trauma/accidents and burns.

Average cost $50

“Oliver was born with a bilateral cleft lip that was repaired when he was 3 months old in November 2013. He is now 1 year old and 9 months post lip repair. We have been using Newgel+E on our sons repair for 90% of the time. We used Kelocote at first because we bought it prior to lip repair, but didn’t like how runny it was. I like how the Newgel is a thicker silicone texture. we put it on about 2 times day. But I would be a liar if I said I haven’t forgotten to put it on some days, with having four kids! We apply an even coat and then rub it in. We don’t do very long scar massages, just basically rubbing in the gel. Ollie’s scar is more red than it is thick. His scar is actually pretty soft which i am happy about I have seen dramatic changes in Oliver’s scar since surgery. The left side of his repair is pretty much invisible, the right side however is still a little bit raised and red. According to our surgeon, as long as the scar is red, the Newgel will continue to work.” – Kristen Garza

Mederma® Advanced Scar Gel can help to improve the overall appearance, color, and texture of scars. It works for many types of scars, including acne scars, surgery scars, and scars from burns, cuts, and other injuries. And since you only have to apply Mederma® Advanced Scar Gel once a day, it’s easy to use.

Average cost $30

Kelo-cote’s patented silicone scar gel dries within minutes forming a flexible, breathable, waterproof sheet over the affected area. This invisible silicone sheet binds with the stratum corneum (the outer layer of dead skin cells) to protect the underlying tissue against chemical, physical and microbial invasion of the scar and provide the optimal healing environment for aesthetic scar outcome.

Average cost $35

“Daisy was born with an incomplete cleft lip on the right hand side. Following repair, our cleft team gave us a tube of Kelo-cote UV scar gel. Her surgeon recommended we apply it morning and night or 30 minutes before sun exposure. He also recommended that we massage her lip with aqueous cream morning and night. Daisy absolutely hated being massaged, so I wasn’t particularly diligent with that, but we did apply the Kelo-cote twice a day. Now the wound is almost 8 months old we tend to only apply once a day or when we are going to be in the sunshine. Daisy has had an excellent result. Kelo-cote is easy to use – you just apply a thin layer and leave it to dry. I found that she didn’t object to this like she did with the lip massage, which was a real plus. We are very happy with the outcome of her surgery and will continue to use the Kelo-cote, particularly if we are going to be in the sun.-Kathryn Lister