6 replies to this topic

[maineman]

This was in Tuesday's NY Times Science section. Relates to a discussion we had here last week about Vitamin E and scars.... mm March 13, 2007Really?
The Claim: Vitamin E Helps Remove Scars
By ANAHAD O’CONNORTHE FACTS

Home remedies for scar removal run the gamut from lemon juice to aloe vera gel. But one that stands above the rest — in popularity at least — is vitamin E.

Depending on whom you ask, a little vitamin E dabbed on the skin can remove stretch marks, clear up scars and even heal wounds. Discovered in 1922, it can be found widely now in moisturizers and creams.

But according to most studies, its scar-busting properties are overstated. One of the largest studies to investigate the claim was published in 1986 in The Journal of Burn Care and Rehabilitation. In it, scientists followed a group of 159 people who had suffered burns over the course of a year, randomly selecting some to regularly apply vitamin E to their scars and others to use a different topical cream. Those in the vitamin E group showed no noticeable improvement in the size, thickness or appearance of their scars by the end of the study.

In a 1999 study, scientists at the University of Miami followed a group of patients who had recently had minor surgery. Each patient was given two ointments labeled A and B — one with vitamin E, the other without — and told to apply each to a separate half of their scars twice daily for four weeks. After that, the scars were evaluated by the patients, the scientists and an independent observer.

The vitamin E not only had no beneficial effect on the appearance of the scars, it made matters worse. Almost a third of the patients had an allergic reaction known as contact dermatitis, leading the authors to give vitamin E the thumbs down.

THE BOTTOM LINE

According to studies, vitamin E does not remove scars.

[Rogerdodger]

People often feel they "must do something". Often not realizing the unintended consequences may be more harmful than than doing nothing.

[mss]

----A) READ as "DIRECTED" by your DR., had a aneurism behind the knee, rare, massive surgery to remove. The Dr. said take "E" to help healing etc. Had bladder cancer, Dr. said take "E" for healing etc. TWO different type Drs. four years apart and do not know each other - same recommendation.

You of all people say "DO WHAT THE DR. TELLS YOU" if you can not trust your Dr. who do you trust?
Get another DR. ------ sort of dumb after they have cut you open.

To be clear once again, they suggested I take "E", by mouth and not one darn thing was said about scars or rubbing my butt or anything else.

You probably don't reccomend squarting juice from the Aloe plant on a cut or burn eaither. Too bad, it does help in MOST cases.
Have a nice day and thanks for the artical.
mss

[maineman]

Aloe has been shown to be very effective for burns. We use it all the time. Very clear-cut benefit. VItamin E, on the other hand, has not been shown in clinical trials to be effective topically for burns or wounds or cuts. More recently exhaustive reviews of oral Vitamin E have been shown to have no benefit whatsoever. Which is too bad, really. Most of us agree with the comment by the prinicipal investigator who said, "Too bad about this. We all really hoped that the results would have been otherwise". I have the references if anyone would want them. mm

[OEXCHAOS]

MM, Anecdotally, I get FAR more benefit from vitamin E directly on a minor burn than from aloe. Maybe I'm odd to get any benefit, but I gotta tell you the effects for me have been amazing, noticeable, and 100% beneficial. I've not noticed any reduction in scarring, however. Only speed of healing and reduction of pain. I'd not put E on a nasty burn, but a minor one (like the ones I get from hot pans or spattering cooking oil) is a perfect target for E for me. If it didn't hurt, I'd do a real time test for you. OTOH, I also understand that some are prone to contact dermatitis and this is a major negative with topical E. I'd also never put it on an open wound or cut (surgical scar?). E doesn't kill bacteria, and might well harbor some. BAD idea, in my view. I think a good antibiotic ointment is the way to go for cuts in order to reduce scarring. Mark

[maineman]

Folk remedies are cool. We all do them and, well, what's the harm? On the other hand, in medicine, it is our duty and moral and ethical obligation to provide scientific proof for treatments. Obviously, if someone were putting vitamin ointment on a cut/bruise/burn we wouldn't waste a breath talking about it. If, however, I told you it was the "right thing to do" that would be unethical, as research has proven it is no better than placebo. (not to mention it could cause a rash) The body is a great machine and only rarely needs our help. If left alone it will do most of what we need it to do. This includes healing a cut or burn. Antibiotic ointments, which are now available over the counter, probably do more harm than good. If one is anywhere near soap and clean water, a simple rinse and wash will kill all bacteria that could "potentially" infect an open wound. Thus, there is no need for repeated applications of noxious antibiotics. (If you were off on a camping trip away from clean water and soap, it could be useful temporarily). The commonly available OTC antibiotic creams are made of 3 antibiotics (Talk about overkill), including sulfa. What we often see in practice are people with non-healing, but VERY clean cuts and bruises J. New body cells are actually killed by the antibiotics, along with the purported bacteria. In fact, so much of health and well-being is taken care of by our bodies, that this leads to the Placebo effect. This is why so many people that self-medicate with “stuff”, whether its herbs and vitamins, or foods, or “early to bed” or other folk remedies, become convinced that they have been responsible and actually “caused” the outcome, when the outcome would come out regardless. (see the nearby thread about “cold sores” and lysine/acidophilus, etc. they all “work” because the cold sore goes away in 10-14 days no matter what you do). mm

[OEXCHAOS]

The antibiotic ointment thing is news to me, but probably shouldn't be. That said, my problem with cuts and scrapes isn't so much with the initial injury, but the scabbing which then dries out, cracks reopens the wound, etc. I've found that the ointment keeps that from happening and thus the healing process is much faster. Suggestions from folks on that? M