The video above shows Bev Fischer give her review of Mederma Scar Cream.
Here are the pros and cons of Mederma scar cream:
Pros:
- One of the most affordable choices for scar creams
- Can be used for both new and old scars
- Does not contain any Mercury
- One customer reported an 80% scar reduction after one week
Cons:
- Older scars require longer treatment
- Side effects may cause swelling, discoloration or itching
- Has a distinct odor due to onion extract
What is Mederma Scar Cream With SPF 30?
The Mederma Scar Cream with SPF 30 is a scar removal cream made by Mederma. It is one out of four Mederma products that treat scars. What’s different about this product than other creams is it has SPF 30. This acts as a sunscreen in order to reduce the darkening effect sunlight has on your scar.
Each tube contains 20 grams of cream which is made from onion extract. According to a study, onion extract has been proven to significantly improve scar softness, redness, texture and global appearance. You can find the generic form of this extract under the name “Cepalin”.
- Clinically shown to improve the overall appearance, color, and texture of scars
- The ONLY 1x daily topical gel making it one of the most cost effective products available
- Works for many types of scars, including acne scars, surgery scars, and scars from burns, cuts, and other injuries
- From Mederma – the #1 Scar Care brand
Is Mederma Scar Cream Good?
The benefit of this cream is you can use it to heal acne scars, keloid scars from surgery, burns, cuts, and other injuries. It’s safe to use on facial scars, but it isn’t made to reduce wrinkles or stretch marks after c-section. There are other products made to reduce those types of skin abnormality.
You can use it on new scars as well as older scars. However, older scars take a longer time to heal and you must apply it in a different way. The scars won’t be completely gone but it will be reduced enough to make it look almost invisible.
What Are the Active Ingredients Inside It?
Mederma Scar Cream contains Allium Cepa as an active ingredient. It is the onion extract that has a healing effect on your scars. Other than this compound, the cream also includes 3% of Avobenzone, 10% of Octocrylene, and 6% of Oxybenzene that make up the sunscreen component.
The full composition of the cream is as follows:
- Water
- C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate (an emollient and thickening agent; has antimicrobial properties)
- Dicaprylyl Carbonate (categorized as a “dry emollient”; considered generally safe)
- Alcohol (a humectant; may cause irritation to sensitive skin)
- Hydrogenated Lecithin (an emulsifying agent, surfactant; generally recognized as safe)
- Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (specific fraction of coconut oil fatty acids)
- Panthenol (or Vitamin B5 – has a beneficial effect to moisturize, soothe, heal and regenerate the skin)
- Pentylene Glycol (humectant; recent studies reveal that it may provoke contact dermatitis)
- Phenoxyethanol (common cosmetic preservative, linked to reactions ranging from eczema outbreaks to severe, life-threatening allergic reactions)
- Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea – provides softening and moisturizing effect)) Butter
- Glycerin (attracts moisture onto your skin which is why it is considered a humectant)
- Ammonium (pH adjuster; may cause mild to severe burns of the skin)
- Acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP Copolymer (viscosity agent; the safety profile of this ingredient is not yet determined)
- Fragrance (or perfume – may provoke various reactions, including allergies)
- Squalane (fights free radicals; has strong anti-aging properties; considered safe as cosmetic ingredients)
- Methylparaben (widely used as a preservative; in cosmetics and personal care products; prevents the growth of bacteria and fungus, may provoke skin irritation and allergy)
- Xanthan Gum (a viscosity agent in personal care products)
- Disodium EDTA (a chelating agent, used to sequester and decrease the reactivity of metal ions that may be present in a product; there are studies that demonstrate it is toxic)
- Ceramide 3 (stimulates the natural water retention barrier in dry skin)
- Sodium Hyaluronate (helps replace the hyaluronic acid lost)
- Butylparaben (common sunscreen agent; according to studies – skin toxicant or allergen)
- Ethylparaben (common preservative; there are serious concerns about the safety of this ingredient)
- Propylparaben (common preservative with anti-fungal and anti-microbial properties; there are safety concerns related to the ingredient)
- Isobutylparaben (common paraben and preservative; there are serious concerns about the safety of this ingredient)
As you can see, the cream doesn’t contain any Mercury (which is known to be used in cosmetics but has dangerous side effects to your skin). You can research each individual component if you feel any doubt about them.
How to Apply Mederma Scar Cream?
The directions on how to use this cream depend on the type of scar that you have. Follow these steps to know when and how to apply it on your scar:
For newer scars: apply the cream gently on your scar 3 times daily. Make sure the cream is absorbed fully. Continue using it up to 8 weeks to get the best results.
DO NOT apply it to a wound that has not healed. Make sure it is completely closed (either the scab on the skin has fallen off on its own or you have removed the stitches). Usually, this happens two or more weeks after the injury occurred.
For older scars: apply the cream 3 times daily and continue using it up to 3-6 months to get the best results. You can apply it immediately since the wound has already healed.
The product expiry date depends on the time of your purchase. If you are using other skin products besides this cream, make sure it is dry before putting on other products on top of it.
Regarding side effects, every individual’s skin reacts differently to each product:
- One customer reported having an acne breakout after using this product
- Another customer complained that it bleached her skin (she is a woman of color)
- One customer reported that it had a distinct odor (due to the onion extract) and made her face oily
Other side effects that might occur include swelling, scar discoloration, and itching. You can test if it has any side effects on your skin by first testing it on a small part of your body (chest or back). If it does, then you can stop using the cream immediately.
This cream can be used by anyone over 6 months old. If you want to apply it to a baby who is younger than 6 months, consult a doctor first. In my research, I have not found any information that prohibits you to use this cream during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. If you are not sure about the safety or whether you can use it, consult your personal physician.
Does Mederma Scar Cream Really Work?
A number of customer reviews report that this cream is good and effective for reducing their scars. In the paragraph below, I’ve made a summary of several before and after results that customers had:
- One customer, who had a 2-inch surgery scar, reported having an 80% reduction after 1 week of using Mederma 3 times a day
- Another customer reported reducing his scar from 1 inch wide to 1/4 inch in 4 months
- A customer from reported using the cream to remove acne scars within 3-4 days
- Another customer reports that her surgery scar from thyroid removal has almost completely faded after using Mederma 3 times a day for 6 months
Of course, your results may vary. Not everyone experiences these results. A number of customers have also reported that the product did nothing for them even though they used it according to the directions.
Comparison With Other Brands
Mederma VS Scarguard MD
Scarguard MD is our second best scar cream we recommend and has a rating close to Mederma. It’s made by a plastic surgeon and has a liquid form while Mederma has a cream form. The liquid dries within 30 seconds of application, and won’t rub off which creams like Mederma tend to do. However, some customers say the dry sheet has difficulty sticking or difficult to take off (depending on skin).
Compared to Mederma, Scarguard MD uses much fewer ingredients since it mostly relies on silicone treatment. Some customers say both products have an odor that may be too strong for some people. Both products have excellent customer testimonials and deliver fast results.
Mederma is more affordable than Scarguard MD, but Scarguard has a shorter recommended use period than Mederma. If you decide to choose Scarguard, you may save money because you need less time to heal your scar. For a full discussion of Scarguard, read our Scarguard MD review here.
Mederma VS Scar Zone
Compared to Scar Zone Advanced Cream, Mederma has a better rating from us although Scar Zone is not too far behind. We found that Scar Zone has fewer customer reviews than Mederma. Both products are similarly affordable, which is good for the consumer.
Similar to Revitol, both Mederma and Scar Zone use onion extract too. There are less reported side effects of Scar Zone customers compared to Mederma, but that may be due to the fewer amount of testimonials.
Scar Zone has a longer recommended use period (180 days min) compared to Mederma. Though they are similarly priced, you may need to buy more tubes of Scar Zone than Mederma to get similar results. Take a look at our review of Scar Zone Advanced Scar Cream for further information.
Mederma VS ScarAway Gel
ScarAway is another product that uses silicone for scar treatment. If you don’t like the texture of cream such as Mederma, choosing silicone gel is a good option. One tube of this gel can be used for a 90-day treatment, which is shorter than Mederma’s recommended 180 days treatment duration.
The ingredients of ScarAway is simply silicone gel. If you find yourself getting some reaction from Mederma, then maybe you can switch to this product that has minimum ingredients to avoid negative side effects. Both Mederma and ScarAway Gel get plenty of positive testimonials from customers. Read our review of ScarAway Repair Gel to see the results customers get.
Mederma VS Revitol
Mederma Scar Cream gets a higher rating from us than Revitol. Mederma has a good amount of buyer testimonials while Revitol only has a few. Mederma has sunscreen in the cream while Revitol doesn’t, but Revitol can repair sun damage. Mederma also an affordable option compared to Revitol.
Both creams use onion extract in their ingredient. Mederma doesn’t contain Mercury, while Revitol uses Hydroquinone, an ingredient that is known to be effective but also controversial for skin care.
Both products have side effects, but they receive good reviews from happy customers too. One advantage that Revitol has is that it has a shorter recommended use period (14 days min) compared to Mederma (90 days min). You can take a look at our review of Revitol Scar Cream for further information, but we recommend Mederma Scar Cream as a better option.
Mederma VS Dermefface FX7
The most noticeable uniqueness about Dermefface is that it is endorsed by a celebrity. That doesn’t necessarily mean it is automatically better than Mederma, but this scar cream has helped a working actress be able to work again.
Dermefface FX7 uses ingredients that are different than what other brands use. However, from our research, we have found that a customer who has used both products says Mederma is better. Dermefface is more expensive than Mederma but Dermefface have big support behind their cream. Read our review of Dermefface FX7 to learn more about it.
- Clinically shown to improve the overall appearance, color, and texture of scars
- The ONLY 1x daily topical gel making it one of the most cost effective products available
- Works for many types of scars, including acne scars, surgery scars, and scars from burns, cuts, and other injuries
- From Mederma – the #1 Scar Care brand
How Much Does Mederma Scar Cream Cost?
You can buy this cream both at your local store and also from an online retailer. Depending on where you buy, the cost is different, but not too different. I have searched for a coupon and found one, but it has expired and is no longer available.
On the official website, the company says that if you are not satisfied with the product, you can return the unused portion to the store and receive a full refund. You can also check which is currently the best scar removal cream.
How Does Mederma Scar Cream Compare?
