If you’re looking for the best scar cream ingredients, you might want to look at an ingredient called DI Panthenol. This is a chemical made from pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5) that’s probably already in the food you eat.
A 1987 study [1] found that just a 5% concentration of Panthenol helped to increase the speed of superficial wound healing – which is how many scars begin – by up to 30%.
The best scar creams tend to have other natural ingredients as well. Think Symglucan, Pentavitin, allantoin and others, all of which have natural origins and can help fade an existing scar, or possibly even prevent one from occurring in the first place.
What is a Scar Cream?
A scar cream is just like it sounds – it’s a topical application, called a serum, that you apply to an old scar or a recovering wound. They’re made with ingredients that help fade existing scars by exfoliating dead skin cells and replacing them with new skin from below as part of the skin’s natural 28 day regeneration process.
It should also help guide a new wound through the healing process. That’s important, because generally speaking, the faster you treat your wound, the smaller the scar that develops should be.
Also on that note, you may find you have better luck fading a new scar than an older one, although it should definitely help with that as well.
Almost Any Kind of Scar
The best scar cream should be able to fade scars of just about any origin. These include:
Contracture Scars – These develop from large areas of lost tissue. Burn scars are a form of contracture scar. They’re most often seen as tight and shiny skin that does not move.
Hypertrophic Scars – Hypertrophic scars are raised, red marks that look similar to keloid scars but do not extend beyond the injury itself.
Acne Scars – Acne scars are one of the most common forms of scarring that scar cream customers wish to reduce. They’re exactly as they sound – acne scars that develop from acne. There are many kinds of acne scars, from deep pits to those that are wave-like or angular in appearance and many in between.
Surgical Scars – Just like they sound, surgical scars form after you’ve had surgery. Also check out “The Truth About Scar Removal Surgery” on our blog.
However, it’s important to note that a scar cream will likely not fade keloid scarring. This is a large form of scar in which the body aggressively heals a wound beyond the original injury. They’re more common in patients with dark skin. To get rid of a keloid scar, you’ll likely need a surgical procedure, like cryotherapy (freezing the wound) or a silicone treatment.
Dealing with stretch marks? Check out our blog post, “How To Reduce the Appearance of Scars and Stretch Marks After Pregnancy.”
8 Best Scar Cream Ingredients Found in Nature
This sounds like a tall order. What’s in a good scar cream and how does it actually get rid of scarring?
Again, we can look to nature for providing some of the best scar cream ingredients that help to exfoliate dead, scarred skin cells and encourage new, unscarred skin to replace it. The best scar cream ingredients include:
Symglucan
This is an extract of oat that quickly absorbs into skin. It helps stimulate the body to stimulate fibroblast growth and synthesis of collagen.
Our pick for the best scar cream is Dermefface FX7, which has Symglucan in a 10% concentration. Here’s why that’s important: a 10% concentration of Symglucan is linked to:
- Reduced Deep Wrinkles By 17%
- Reduction of All Wrinkles By 14%
- Improved Skin Roughness By 17%
Symglucan is also shown to improve skin moisture by 20%, firmness by 16% and make skin elasticity 10% better. As a bonus, it appears to help protect skin from UV damage after you’re out in the sun.
Pentavitin
Here’s another natural-based ingredient you’ll find in the best scar creams. Pentavitin is a plant-derived moisturizer that binds to the keratin in your skin and helps to lock in that moisture. It’s like ‘super-glue’ for skin moisture and can only be removed once you exfoliate dead skin cells as part of your skin’s natural regeneration process.
This makes Pentavitin of particular interest as you look for the best scar cream. Among other benefits, Pentavitin is linked to:
- Better Skin Hydration
- Stronger Skin Barrier Function
- 50% Better Skin Smoothness
- 50% Less Itchiness and Flaking
Pentavitin works quickly too, with noticeable results typically in the first two weeks.
DI Panthenol
Sometimes called Provitamin B5, DI Panthenol has shown in various studies to have a positive effect on skin healing and regrowth. One study, conducted in 1987, found that DI Panthenol sped up the rate of superficial wound-healing by 30%.
DI Panthenol helps to improve the appearance of skin. It reduces dryness and roughness, along with better skin moisturization and elasticity. And yes, it’s natural. DI Panthenol is a form of pantothenic acid – a vitamin found in healthy hair and all living cells.
Vitalayer
Vitalayer is an anti-aging ingredients rich in peptides. It comes from vervain – a plant native to Europe and Asia that has a variety of health and beauty applications, from antimicrobial activity to gum health and anxiety reduction [2].
You’ll often find it in the best scar creams as well. That’s because Vitalayer helps with better skin barrier and helps it both exfoliate and lock in moisture.
One study of 25 women who took a 3% concentration of Vitalayer twice daily for 56 days saw impressive changes to skin condition. Among the women:
- 88% of the volunteers saw improvement to their wrinkles
- 76% of the volunteers saw improvements to their skin health and moisture
In another study, Vitalayer was shown to:
- Increase Production of Collagen I by 394%
- Increase Production of Collagen III by 1257%
- Increase Production of Hyaluronic Acid by 76%
Applying Vitalayer topically can help make your skin smoother, reduce crow’s feet and reduce wrinkle depth. You’re looking for the best scar cream, correct? Vitalayer should be in it.
Pro-Coll-One
Pro-Coll-One is a peptide that helps boost synthesis of Collagen type I. It does that very well – in fact, it’s shown to increase this form of collagen in healthy human fibroblasts by up to 1190%.
Niacinamide
Niacinamide is a derivative of Vitamin B3. Clinical studies show that it can help significantly reduce hyperpigmentation and increase skin brightness within just four weeks. Niacinamide plays a key role in skin wellness and is involved in more than 200 enzymatic reactions within the body
It’s well-tolerated too, and does not cause flushing like other forms of Vitamin B3.
Allantoin
Also called ‘Vitamin U’, Allantoin has a long history of use to repair dry and damaged skin. It’s both a moisturizer and a keolytic, meaning that it softens a protein in your skin, called keratin. This helps skin better absorb moisture and bounce back faster from trauma.
Allantoin is also an anti-inflammatory agent that helps to regenerate damaged skin with new, healthy skin cells. It encourages skin exfoliation and is shown to help reduce redness.
Beta Glucan
Beta glucans are sugars from the walls of bacteria, fungi, yeasts, oats, lichens and plants like oats and barley. They’ve long been used to treat skin injuries like burns along with eczema.
Beta glucan is also an anti-irritant. It helps to stimulate collagen and health of macrophages, the latter of which are cells that destroy bacteria, along with dead and mutated skin cells – like those in that scar you’d like to reduce.
When your macrophages are healthy, skin has better immunity and it’s easier to slough away dead skin cells. That’s why most of the best scar creams have beta glucan in the formula. And beta glucan may do more than simply get rid of scarring. It’s currently being explored as an alternative to cosmetic injections [3].
What’s The Best Scar Cream?
With so many so-called scar creams on the internet (and in your local drug store), it can be hard to find a product that actually works. Do you want the quick version of your question to ‘what’s the best scar cream?’ Our answer to that – Dermefface FX7.
Here’s why we feel Dermefface FX7 is the best scar cream for your money: it’s got each of the scar-reducing ingredients we’ve talked about in this article. It’s also made by Skinception – a small line of exclusive skin care products that you can’t buy in stores. It’s also approved by Dr. Dave David, a cosmetic surgeon with over 40 years’ experience and one of the world’s leading aesthetic surgeons.
If you’re a fan of America’s Next Top Model, you may be familiar with Lisa D’Amato, who won that program’s All-Star Cycle in 2011.
Lisa D’Amato used Dermefface FX7 to reduce scarring from an injury that could have ended her career.
Look, you’re on the Leading Edge Health blog. Are we biased? Yup – we think Dermefface FX7 is the best scar cream because it’s got the most effective ingredients at the right dosage, it’s made by Skinception in the United States and is approved by one of the most respected aesthetic surgeons in the world – and it comes with a 67 day money-back guarantee.
That’s why we offer Dermefface FX7 here at Leading Edge Health. It’s the right scar cream and one that can help reduce almost any scar, whether it’s an old scar you’ve had for years on a new one that you’d like to reduce – or prevent.
As a matter of fact, let’s talk about that now.
How To Prevent (or at Least Reduce) a Scar
Scars develop from wounds to your body. The better you care for an injury, the less chance you have that a scar will develop, if it does at all.
So you just got a cut, scrape or burn. What do you do [4]?
1 – Wash Your Hands
Before you do anything, wash your hands in hot, soapy water. If possible, put on disposable gloves as well. This might prevent an infection.
2 – Apply Gentle Pressure
If the wound is bleeding, apply light pressure to it with a clean cloth or sterile gauze until the bleeding stops. Elevate the wound if you can. If blood seeps through the covering, leave it on and apply a second clean piece on top of it and continue to apply light pressure.
Seek medical help immediately if the wound is to a child less than a year old, the bleeding is severe and doesn’t stop with light pressure, the wound has jagged edges, it’s deep or across a joint, the wound was caused by a dirty object, human or animal bite, something that penetrated the skin or the wound is across the face or genitals.
If you had a cut longer than half an inch, you’ll likely need stitches.
3 – Rinse With Water
For a simple scrape or cut, rinse the wound with clear water to loosen any dirt or debris. Then, with a soft cloth and mild soap, gently clean around it, although take care not to put soap directly on the wound itself. After washing, clean a set of tweezers with isopropyl alcohol and remove any remaining dirt or debris. Do not pick at the wound.
Call your doctor if you can’t clean the wound.
If you had a burn, rinse it with cold water for 10 to 15 minutes, or cover it with a cold cloth for the same amount of time. See your doctor if you form large blisters, and head to your emergency room immediately if it’s a large burn.
4 – Use an Antibiotic or Ointment
While it may not be required for minor cuts or scrapes, it might be a good idea to apply an over the counter antibiotic, like polysporin, to the wound. Stop using it, however, if this leads to a rash.
5 – Cover Larger Wounds
You can likely leave minor scrapes uncovered. But it’s a large wound, put a clean, sterile and non-stick bandage on the wound after you clean it. Leave this on for at least a day – and don’t pick at the scab that develops. Also, contact your doctor immediately if the wound gets infected, smelly, or you get the chills or a fever.
Assuming your wound does not need medical attention, this is when you can start to think about using a scar cream to the wound. We like Dermefface FX7 because it’s made with ingredients that can guide light and superficial wounds through the healing process. It’s during this time you’ve got the best chance to minimize the scar that develops.
Care for the wound and apply the best scar cream for your needs as directed. Dermefface FX7 works wonders, and is a great option for folks who would prefer not to have a scar in the first place.
[1] https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.3109/10915818709095492
[2] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vervain-verbena#benefits
[3] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/09/050930082424.htm
