Silicones in the rehabilitation of burns: a review and overview

This article gives an overview of the use of silicones in the treatment and prevention of hypertrophic (burn related) scars. Of all non-invasive treatment modalities the use of continuous pressure and occlusive contact media, e.g. silicones, seem to be generally accepted as the only ones that are able to manage hypertrophic scarring without significant side-effects. A summary of the current opinions of the assumed working mechanisms of pressure as well as silicones is given. The use of silicones, either alone or in combination with pressure, is discussed. The recent development of custom made silicone devices has led to combinations of both modalities. Some of these, including the inflatable silicone insert systems (ISIS ®), are shown and discussed.