What Researchers Did
Researchers in Taiwan compared HBOT (7 sessions starting 4 weeks after surgery) to silicone sheets (worn continuously from week 4 to 12) for preventing and reducing scars in 33 patients with clean surgical wounds.
What They Found
Both treatments significantly improved scar quality over 12 weeks. Silicone sheets performed better on most measures including redness, pigmentation, thickness, flexibility, and overall appearance. HBOT was better at reducing scar surface area. Neither treatment caused serious side effects.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For patients concerned about surgical scarring, both HBOT and silicone sheets are effective options, but silicone sheets appear to provide broader improvement at a lower cost. HBOT may be most useful when scar bulk or surface coverage is the primary concern.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
The study was small (33 patients), and the HBOT protocol used (1.5 ATA for shorter durations) was lower than what is used in most hyperbaric centres, which may have limited its effectiveness.