Silicone cream occlusive dressing--a novel noninvasive regimen in the treatment of keloid.

BACKGROUND: The use of silicone oil in the treatment of hypertrophic scars has recently been much discussed. Silicone gel and silicone cream containing 20% silicone oil have been demonstrated to effectively treat hypertrophic scars. However, the results in treating keloid are variable.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical efficacy of silicone cream with occlusive dressing in the treatment of keloid.

METHODS: An open study was performed in 15 Chinese patients with single or multiple keloids. Nineteen keloids were randomly selected and treated with silicone cream occlusive dressing (SCOD). The effectiveness was assessed using a scoring system involving elevation, redness, hardness, itching and tenderness or pain of the lesions.

RESULTS: Fifteen out of 19 keloids (79%) showed significant improvement after using SCOD for 6 months. None of the keloids progressed.

CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that SCOD is easy to apply, noninvasive, painless, almost free of side effects. It is especially useful in children and those who cannot tolerate the pain or inconvenience of other treatment procedures. The action mechanism of SCOD is still unclear, though hydration and occlusion rather than silicone itself may play an important role.