Silicone gel may be good alternative to some skin creams for scar treatment
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Xeragel™ (XSO-797) - $16.30Dermatologists nationwide have been reporting increasingly more cases of women who experience side effects from their use of skin-lightening creams, which purport to aid in scar healing.
As a result rapid changes in hormone levels, pregnant women often experience acne or keloid scarring, or dark brown patches on their skin known as melasma.
While many of these women have turned to face creams as a scar treatment, some of these prescription-strength products may be harmful, the New York Times reports.
Dr Erin Gilbert, a chief resident in dermatology at the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center reported that she and her colleagues see at least one woman with severe side effects from cosmetic creams each week.
Another dermatologist, Dr Eliot Battle, who owns a practice in Washington, DC told the news source some of these facial creams "not only contain corticosteroids, but mercury," two chemicals that can damage a users' nervous system.
Some dermatologists have begun recommending other scar treatments such as silicone gel sheeting to help reduce the appearance of external scars. 