Topical silicone-gel sheeting has been shown to be beneficial in the t
reatment of established hypertrophic and keloid scars. Certain individ
uals and incisions in specific body sites appear to be at increased ri
sk for the development of such scars. A simple, inexpensive, and preve
ntive treatment in these individuals at increased risk could potential
ly minimize the extended period of pressure therapy and repeated stero
id injections that are often required to optimize outcome. However, th
e effects of applying silicone-gel sheeting in the immediate postopera
tive period as a preventive measure have not been investigated to date
. Because silicone-gel sheeting influences the remodeling and maturati
on phase of collagen formation, we believed it prudent to determine wh
ether silicone-gel sheeting had any deleterious effect on early wound
healing, as demonstrated by in vivo biomechanical testing of wound str
ength and histological assessment. To investigate the potential effect
s of silicone-gel sheeting on acute wound healing and its possible app
lication for prevention of hypertrophic scars, a study was designed in
the hairless guinea pig. In phase 1 of the study, bilateral dorsolate
ral incisions were made, allowing each guinea pig to serve as its own
control. One wound was dressed with silicane-gel sheeting, and the con
trol site was dressed with Nu-gauze dressing, Wounds were then assesse
d visually and with in vivo biomechanical analysis of wound strength a
t days 3, 5, and 7 postoperatively (n = 7 per group). Phase 2 of the s
tudy compared identical dressings in a similar animal model using a si
ngle dorsal midline incision, in which alternate halves of each wound
served as the control. Each wound was assessed histologically at days
3, 7, and 14 (n = 5 per group). Despite an improved subjective appeara
nce of those wounds treated with the silicone sheeting applied at the
time of incision closure in the hairless guinea pig model, no signific
ant adverse or beneficial effect on in vivo wound healing strength on
days 3, 5, and 7 was demonstrated compared with controls when analyzed
using a paired observation t-test (p = 0.35, 0.20, and 0.47, respecti
vely). Blinded interpretation of histological specimens showed no diff
erence an hematoxylin and eosin or trichrome staining between the test
and control sites at any interval assessed in this study, We believe
this information confirms the safety of applying silicone-gel sheeting
at wound closure in this model and thus opens the door for subsequent
clinical trials to assess the role of these products in preventing hy
pertrophic or keloid scars.