I had a breast reduction surgery and was left with extensive scarring. I heard of many different ways to try to lessen scars: Vitamin E, Cocoa Butter, silicone sheets, and so on.

I heard from other women who had the surgery that their doctors recommended Mederma, this stuff that is supposed to work wonders on scars. I decided that whatever it was, it was worth a try.

I figured $26 for a small 1.76 ounce bottle would be worth having fainter scars. The instructions say that it should be "generously applied and gently rubbed into the scar 3-4 times a day for 8 weeks, and 3-4 times a day for 3-6 months on existing scars."

It is easy to apply, just rub the clear gel into the scar and it eventually "soaks in" and leaves a kind of filmy residue.

I think it also said on the box that it may cause itching. Oh my God. I almost went insane from the itching. I'm surprised I didn't hear any of the other reviews of this product mentioning it. It was probably because of the location of my scars and the extent of them. The itching was intense and felt like it was under the skin. I wondered if maybe it meant the Mederma was working, but I couldn't handle it. I usually ended up washing the area and slathering it with lotion. Sometimes it itched, sometimes not. But because of the itching, I couldn't stand to apply it more than once or twice a day. In sum, I would say it really depends on how big your scars are and where they are located. If they are long/large scars like mine, you may have itching problems. It is also kind of a pain to apply the stuff SO many times a day.

Mederma smells nasty. I think it is the onion extract that does it.

I think there are a few things that should be explained about Mederma's healing abilities:

One: how does a person know that their new scars wouldn't have faded if they had used just lotion or nothing at all? How do they know it is the Mederma that helped it? It could just be time and the natural healing process.

Two: The rubbing action involved in applying the Mederma is a healer itself. The rubbing breaks down scar tissue and may make the scar fade and become flatter. Again, this is not because of the Mederma.

Three: Different strokes for different folks. People have all sorts of skin types and even different areas of the body have different kinds of skin. It really depends on your situation of whether it might work.

I haven't noticed a difference in my scars from the Mederma. Of course, I haven't been able to apply it as much as directed because of the itching. I think this does work well for some people-- but it is NOT the miracle drug it is made out to be. It depends on your situation, your scars, your body, and more for this to work. I would be cautious when purchasing this product and simply remember that it may not work and it may itch and smell!

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