If you try Mederma acne scars may show improvement, but they may not. Evaluations of the product are mixed. Some people report it has worked OK for their acne scarring, while others report virtually no improvement. Those with lighter scars seem to have more impressive results than those with darker scars.
User Reviews
When looking at comments from users that have tried Mederma, we found that about two-thirds of people were somewhat satisfied or extremely satisfied with the results. Nonetheless even those that were OK with their results expressed concerns about some facets of the product. Most felt that Mederma was very expensive. Several people complained about the smell of the product. Others reported that, while it was effective, it took a while before they saw noticeable results, frequently one or two months.
Not many are pleased with the results of Mederma, though. Some noticed little or no improvement in their acne scarring. It could be that Mederma is more effective on light scars or on skin with minimum scarring and less effective on very dark scars or severe scars.
Onion Extract versus. Petroleum Jelly
It ought to be mentioned that the main ingredient in Mederma is onion extract. A study conducted in 2006 at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston analyzed the result of treating surgical scarring with onion extract to the results of treating surgical scars with petroleum jelly. No significant difference was discovered between the 2. Of course, surgical scars are not the same as acne scars, but the 2 aren't that different, either.
Mederma is made as both a cream and a gel, and either will function as a moisturizer for scarred skin. Doctors have long recommended some sort of moisturizer to lessen scarring; frequently they like to recommend petroleum jelly, explaining why the study at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital compared Mederma to petroleum jelly. In cases in which people noticed improvement in the appearance of scars after using Mederma, the improvement may be due to the moisturizing effect instead of the onion extract, in which case it makes since to just use petroleum jelly since it's much cheaper.
The Final Analysis
The bottom line is that if you use Mederma acne scars may get better but they may not. Scars generally fade a bit over a period of time even if not treated with anything; nonetheless treating scarring as soon as possible after they form may improve the efficacy of treatment.
User Reviews
When looking at comments from users that have tried Mederma, we found that about two-thirds of people were somewhat satisfied or extremely satisfied with the results. Nonetheless even those that were OK with their results expressed concerns about some facets of the product. Most felt that Mederma was very expensive. Several people complained about the smell of the product. Others reported that, while it was effective, it took a while before they saw noticeable results, frequently one or two months.
Not many are pleased with the results of Mederma, though. Some noticed little or no improvement in their acne scarring. It could be that Mederma is more effective on light scars or on skin with minimum scarring and less effective on very dark scars or severe scars.
Onion Extract versus. Petroleum Jelly
It ought to be mentioned that the main ingredient in Mederma is onion extract. A study conducted in 2006 at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston analyzed the result of treating surgical scarring with onion extract to the results of treating surgical scars with petroleum jelly. No significant difference was discovered between the 2. Of course, surgical scars are not the same as acne scars, but the 2 aren't that different, either.
Mederma is made as both a cream and a gel, and either will function as a moisturizer for scarred skin. Doctors have long recommended some sort of moisturizer to lessen scarring; frequently they like to recommend petroleum jelly, explaining why the study at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital compared Mederma to petroleum jelly. In cases in which people noticed improvement in the appearance of scars after using Mederma, the improvement may be due to the moisturizing effect instead of the onion extract, in which case it makes since to just use petroleum jelly since it's much cheaper.
The Final Analysis
The bottom line is that if you use Mederma acne scars may get better but they may not. Scars generally fade a bit over a period of time even if not treated with anything; nonetheless treating scarring as soon as possible after they form may improve the efficacy of treatment.
About the Author:
This article was created by Scott Mogul, writer for the Healthful Skin Care Web Site. This website provides info on treating and stopping acne, alternative remedies for acne, all natural and herbal acne treatments, and how to handle acne scarring.