fresh scar on forehead

my son has a vertical healing scar on his forehead, swelling is going down, I want to know what to use on him so he does not end up with a big permanent scar or make it less noticeable. thanks

[Howard Rosenberg, MD]

There are a lot of products that can be used on fresh scar, but the reality is that any product used on a wound will have limited, if any capacity, to actually influence scar formation.  More important are the nature of the original injury, the location of the scar, the direction of the scar, the genetics of the individual, and the technique used to care for the injury immediately after it occurred.

One of the best products is silicone gel sheeting, which is merely taped over the scar and kept in place as long as possible.  The likelihood of your son using this method is probably negligible.  Silicone gel in gel form can also be applied topically daily.  Other over the counter topical products may help.  Also important is avoiding excess sun exposure and the use of sun screens to limit permanent migration of pigment cells into the scar area.