ScarAway works by creating a thin, occlusive barrier over your scar that traps moisture in the outer layer of skin. This increased hydration is believed to signal the underlying tissue to slow down excess collagen production, which is what causes scars to become raised, thick, or discolored. The product comes in two main forms, silicone sheets and silicone gel, both built on the same principle.
The Hydration and Occlusion Theory
When skin is injured, the body rushes to repair the wound by producing collagen. In many cases, it overproduces collagen, resulting in a scar that’s raised, firm, or differently pigmented than surrounding skin. Silicone works by sitting on top of the scar and acting like a seal. It doesn’t penetrate the skin or deliver medication. Instead, it prevents water from evaporating through the scar’s surface, keeping the outermost skin layer (the stratum corneum) well-hydrated.
That hydration appears to be the key. When the outer skin stays moist, it sends chemical signals to the deeper layers of tissue where collagen-producing cells live. Those signals tell the cells to ease up on collagen output. One study found that hydration reduced levels of specific inflammatory proteins involved in scar formation, while silicone specifically decreased fibronectin, a protein that plays a role in building up scar tissue. The result, over time, is a scar that becomes flatter, softer, and closer to normal skin tone.
It’s worth noting that scientists still haven’t pinpointed the exact mechanism with certainty. Researchers have ruled out several earlier theories: silicone doesn’t work through pressure, temperature changes, oxygen levels, or by absorbing into the skin. The hydration-and-occlusion explanation is the leading theory and the one that best fits the clinical evidence, but the precise chain of biological events remains an active area of study.
What Improvement Looks Like
Silicone-based scar treatment is considered the gold standard for non-invasive scar care. International clinical guidelines list silicone sheeting or gel as the first-line option for both preventing and treating raised scars and keloids. Clinical reviews confirm that silicone gels reduce scar height, improve pliability, and help normalize pigmentation.
The improvements tend to happen in a specific order. Texture improves first, then color, then height. This means a scar will start to feel softer before it looks lighter, and it will look lighter before it gets noticeably flatter. For newer scars, ScarAway’s manufacturer states that visible improvement can occur in as little as 4 to 8 weeks, with a recommended treatment course of 60 to 90 days.
Older, more mature scars respond too, but on a longer timeline. You may need 3 to 6 months of consistent daily use before changes become visible, and the best results on old scars can take up to a year or more.
How to Use the Sheets
ScarAway silicone sheets are meant to be worn for a minimum of 12 hours per day. The manufacturer recommends starting with 12 hours on the first day and gradually increasing wear time to as much as 23 hours per day. You remove the sheet to clean the skin and the sheet itself, then reapply. Each sheet can typically be reused for several days before it needs to be replaced.
Consistency matters more than anything else with this product. Wearing a sheet for a few hours here and there won’t produce results. The scar tissue needs sustained, continuous hydration to trigger the biological changes that soften and flatten it. Think of it less like applying a cream and more like wearing a retainer after braces: the effect comes from prolonged, daily contact over weeks.
Sheets vs. Gel
ScarAway sells both adhesive silicone sheets and a topical silicone gel. They use the same active ingredient and work through the same hydration mechanism, but each has practical advantages depending on where your scar is.
- Sheets work best on flat, stable areas of skin like the chest, abdomen, or upper arms, where the sheet can maintain full contact with the scar without shifting. They provide the most consistent occlusion because they physically cover the scar for hours at a time.
- Gel is better for scars on joints, the face, or areas with irregular contours. Sheets struggle to stay put on skin that bends and moves frequently, and they can’t conform well to curved or uneven surfaces. Gel is also more discreet on visible areas like the neck or hands, since it dries into an invisible layer.
Neither form is clearly superior in clinical testing. The choice comes down to your scar’s location, your daily routine, and whether you’re willing to wear an adhesive patch for most of the day. For scars near the eyes or mouth, gel is the only practical option.
Side Effects and Skin Reactions
Silicone is one of the gentler materials used in wound and scar care. Compared to hydrocolloid adhesives (a common alternative), silicone causes significantly less skin irritation. In one comparative study, over 60% of hydrocolloid patches caused redness after removal, while fewer than 30% of silicone patches did. When researchers looked at actual skin damage (redness, peeling, or flattening of the skin surface), 70% of hydrocolloid patches caused some form of damage versus only 17% of silicone samples.
The most common complaint with silicone sheets is mild itching or a rash from prolonged wear, especially in hot or humid weather. This is usually caused by sweat building up under the sheet rather than a reaction to the silicone itself. Removing the sheet, cleaning the area, and letting the skin breathe for a few hours before reapplying typically resolves it. True allergic reactions to medical-grade silicone are rare.
Realistic Expectations
ScarAway can meaningfully improve a scar’s appearance, but it won’t make a scar disappear entirely. No topical product can do that. What it can do is make a raised scar flatter, a stiff scar more flexible, and a red or dark scar closer to your natural skin tone. The younger the scar, the more dramatic the improvement tends to be. Starting treatment soon after a wound has fully closed (not while it’s still open) gives you the best chance of preventing a prominent scar from forming in the first place.
For scars that are deeply raised, very old, or keloid in nature, silicone treatment alone may produce only modest improvement. In those cases, it’s often used alongside other treatments like corticosteroid injections or laser therapy rather than as a standalone solution.