We’ve all got a good scar story—“Wanna hear how I got this one?”—but most of us also have at least one or two scars that, if given the chance, we’d undo happily. Nothing wrong with wearing your scars (we all should!), but certain variables like size, color, and placement make it difficult to love all of them equally. Thankfully, the best scar creams and treatments can help.
Whether you can already identify the type of scar and want to lessen its odds of sticking around, or you want to get ahead of any scarring with fast action, it helps to know a few things about the healing and recovery process. Read on for that framework, along with input from board-certified dermatologist Dr. Mona Mislankar, founder of Cincinnati Skin Center and co-founder of Oathology Skincare. Then check out our (and Dr. Mislankar’s) picks for the best scar creams and preventative treatments.
The Best Scar Creams, According to GQ
- The Best Scar Treatment Overall: ScarAway Silicone Scar Sheets, $15
- The Best Preventative Scar Cream: HealFast Silicone Scar Gel, $25
- The Best Scar Cream for Keloids and Hypertrophic Scars: Kelo-cote Scar Gel, $21
- The Best Scar Cream for Burns (and Other Contracture Scars): Mederma PM Overnight Scar Cream, $17
- The Best Scar Cream for Stretch Marks: Cicatricure, $12
- The Best Scar Cream for Fine Line Scars: DERMA-E Scar Gel, $12
- The Best Scar Prevention Cream for Chronic Acne: Differin Gel Acne Scar Gel, $21
- The Best Occlusive Scar Ointment: Aquaphor, $18
- The Best Balm for Soothing Scars: Cicaplast Balm B5 UV SPF 50, $20
- The Best Healing Gel for Raised Scars: ScarAway Medical Grade Silicone Scar Gel, $12
- The Best Acne Scar Prevention Treatment: Mighty Patch Variety Pack, $14
- The Best Retinoid Scar Treatment: Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1%, $14
- The Best Exfoliating Scar Treatment: Murad InvisiScar Resurfacing Treatment, $39
- The Best SPF for Shielding Scars: Supergoop PLAY Everyday Lotion SPF 50 Face & Body Sunscreen, $36
The Best Scar Treatment Overall: ScarAway Silicone Scar Sheets
Silicone sheets can prevent water loss and in turn boost hydration at the topmost layer of skin. This can help reduce existing scars and prevent the formation of scars since, these sheets help reduce collagen production at the wound site. (We usually celebrate collagen production in simple wound repair, but it can be detrimental in terms of hyperactive scar formation.)
The Best Preventative Scar Cream: HealFast Silicone Scar Gel
This medical-grade silicone gel formula is used on existing and forming scars alike—trusted by doctors on the most severe (like C-section scars and burns) but also the more minute (like mole removal).
The Best Scar Cream for Keloids and Hypertrophic Scars: Kelo-cote Scar Gel
This scar-softening and -flattening gel can reduce existing keloid scars (thick raised scars that can extend beyond the original wound site) and hypertrophic scars (raised scars which commonly occur in taut skin areas) and prevent their formation.
The Best Scar Cream for Burns (and Other Contracture Scars): Mederma PM Overnight Scar Cream
Powered by peptides and onion bulb extract, this remedy helps promote collagen production and cell renewal where it’s needed, in order to treat burns, surgery scars, and acne marks.
The Best Scar Cream for Stretch Marks: Cicatricure
Onion extract is the hero ingredient here, among other nut and herbal extracts that reduce the appearance of non-keloid scars, namely stretch marks and simple cuts.
The Best Scar Cream for Fine Line Scars: DERMA-E Scar Gel
Allantoin, panthenol, and onion bulb extract come together in this gel to help prevent the formation of scars at everyday sites like acne, small cuts, minor burns, tattoos, and more.
The Best Scar Prevention Cream for Chronic Acne: Differin Gel Acne Scar Gel
With the retinol-alternative bakuchiol and peptide-rich kollaren at its core, this gel helps promote cellular turnover to erase acne marks and prevent lasting scarring.
The Best Occlusive Scar Ointment: Aquaphor
Sometimes, the answer was in front of you all along. This is one of Mislankar’s go-to suggestions for fresh wounds: Keep that thing covered with lots of occlusives and let this nourishing, petrolatum-based balm fast-track its healing process.
The Best Balm for Soothing Scars: Cicaplast Balm B5 UV SPF 50
This panthenol-powered balm is a favorite of Dr. Mislankar’s for its healing and soothing abilities—not to mention that generous SPF 50 shield against scar-darkening UV rays.
The Best Healing Gel for Raised Scars: ScarAway Medical Grade Silicone Scar Gel
This silicone gel is terrific for preventing the formation of all different types of raised scars, and can help alleviate irritation and discomfort around the area.
The Best Acne Scar Prevention Treatment: Mighty Patch Variety Pack
Pimple patches are the perfect occlusive solution for acne marks. (They’re basically a blemish-sized version of medical-grade bandaging.) The hydrocolloid material traps moisture and promotes faster healing; some patches have pore-clearing ingredients for deeper/active acne, but this general variety pack from Hero loads you up with three types of patches (Original, Invisible+, and Surface) which are strictly bandaging material only.
The Best Retinoid Scar Treatment: Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1%
This is not only a great product for preventing acne in the long haul, but the retinoid known as adapalene is also terrific for expediting the turnover of post-inflammatory acne marks.
The Best Exfoliating Scar Treatment: Murad InvisiScar Resurfacing Treatment
This treatment uses beta hydroxy acid to improve cellular turnover at the site of the scar, while tiger grass soothes skin and vitamin C prevents hyperpigmentation.
The Best SPF for Shielding Scars: Supergoop PLAY Everyday Lotion SPF 50 Face & Body Sunscreen
One of the best ways to ensure a scar doesn’t stick around is to double down on sun defense to avoid prolonged discoloration. Supergoop’s PLAY sunscreen gives you a generous SPF 50 shield, wears featherlight on your face, and is a terrific spot-cover for any scars around your body that are exposed to the sun on a daily (or momentary) basis. Remember: Don’t mess around when it comes to sun protection.
Different Types of Scarring
The best way to treat a scar is to first understand the type of scarring you are experiencing. Here are the core types of scarring, which will then point you to the best scar treatment plan:
- Keloids: These raised scars are, in some ways, the result of healing too well; they are heavily textured and can spread past the original wound area.
- Atrophic scars: These depressed or sunken scars are often caused by acne or chicken pox, and result in thin, deep openings on the face. (Acne scars have their own dedicated treatment plan.)
- Contracture scars: These result from burns and other wide-spread damage (often involving skin grafts). It’s there in the name: Contracture scars “contract” the skin, often leaving a wrinkled or stretched-looking texture in their wake. They can occur in small areas, too, not just across large injuries.
- Hypertrophic scars: Similar to keloids, hypertrophic scars are thick and raised at the site of the injury, often in response to a small cut or surgery. But unlike keloids, they do not expand.
- Fine line scars: These are the “cleanest healing” scars and are most common on small and/or straight wounds. They are raised at first but will fade and heal gradually.
- Stretch marks: These occur when the skin rapidly expands or contracts due to a rupture in collagen. We often associate them with rapid growth spurts during childhood, quick weight gain, and childbirth.
Scar Treatment Stages
There are three key stages of wound healing: inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. Each stage dictates the action you need to take, says Mislankar.
