Dimethicone - Burn Scar Reduction

I recently had the misfortune to undergo skin grafts for burns to both forearms, neck and portions of my chest & feet. This was due to full thickness burns which were unable/unlikely to heal themselves. Luckily for me, the grafts have taken completely thus no further surgical procedures will be necessary.

HOWEVER

Despite using Jobst-Skin/Pressure garments to minimize hypertrophic and keloid scarring the appearance and texture (not to mention the pain) associated with the grafted areas was not decreasing, in fact it was getting progressively worse.

I was wondering about silicone pressure dressings and whilst searching the internet for information pertaining thereto, I found numerous (and to, quite dubious) claims that dimethicone containing creams (or apparently also straight dimethicone itself) was AS effective as the silicone dressings in reducing both hypertrophic and keloid scars.

As I had precisely nothing to lose from experimenting with the substance (creams containing 10-15% dimethicone are cheap as shit at the local chemist(s) and pure dimethicone is available from soap supply shops online), I decided to experiment.

Surprisingly, to me at least, the effects are incredible - the appearance of the webbing (the criss-cross or diamond effect that comes with skin grafts (they perforate the removed skin and it forms a web, which provides a scaffold for the scar tissue to grow into, the bigger the web, the worse the appearance). The color associated with the graft itself, not to mention the scar tissue, has lightened (from a deepish red-purple to an almost normal skin-tone) in a matter of 1 week. It has had precisely the same effect on areas that suffered deep partial-thickness burns, but which due to the retention of at least some of the dermis, did not require grafting.

I most sincerely and heartily recommend that if you, or someone you know, find yourself in this predicament, that you seriously consider trying dimethicone creams. They may not work for you and I deny any liability arising from your doing so, but they did work for me (and continue to do so).

[Edited on 13-1-2010 by unome]