If you've been searching for the best scar cream in NZ, here's the honest answer. The best scar treatment isn't a single brand. It's a category. A small number of scar products have genuine clinical evidence behind them, and most don't. This guide explains what actually works, why it works, and how to choose the right product for your scar.
What actually makes a scar cream "the best"?
"Best" shouldn't mean best-marketed. When you strip away the packaging, only a few things genuinely change how a scar heals:
- Medical-grade silicone. Silicone is the single most researched over-the-counter scar treatment, and it's recommended as a first-line option in international scar-management guidelines for raised, red and hypertrophic scars.
- Real clinical evidence. Peer-reviewed studies and hospital case series, not just before-and-after photos.
- Medical-device quality. Products developed and regulated as medical devices, made to a consistent clinical standard.
- Specialist endorsement. Products that scar therapists and surgeons actually recommend.
- The right format. Gel, sheet or hydrating cream, because a facial scar and a C-section scar need different things.
Why silicone is the gold standard
Silicone works by sitting over the scar as a thin, breathable layer that locks moisture into the skin and helps regulate collagen production. The result, with consistent use, is a scar that becomes flatter, softer and closer to natural skin tone. The evidence is unusually strong for an over-the-counter treatment:
- Silicone gel sheeting has been shown to significantly improve the colour, thickness and elasticity of both old and new hypertrophic and keloid scars.
- In surgical scars, silicone gel and silicone sheets are similarly effective, so the choice comes down to the scar's location and what a person will realistically keep using.
- Its mechanism is well studied: silicone reduces water loss from the scar (occlusion) while keeping it hydrated.
A collection of the underlying studies is published on this scar-management clinical research page.
Not all silicone is equal: BAP Medical (Netherlands)
Among silicone brands, BAPSCARCARE stands out. It's made by BAP Medical B.V., a specialist medical skin-and-scar-care company based in the Netherlands, with distribution partners across Europe, the Middle East, the Caribbean and Asia. BAPSCARCARE is a clinically proven silicone therapy used in hospitals to reduce the most common scar complaints: redness, itching, tightness and thickness.
What sets it apart from a single tube of cream is that it treats scars the way clinics do, as a system of gel and sheet:
- BAPSCARCARE Silicone Scar Gel (7g) and the 20g gel are a fast-drying, invisible gel enriched with vitamin E for the face, neck and skin folds. A version with built-in SPF 40 shields the healing scar from UV darkening, which very few scar creams do.
- Thin and thick self-adhesive silicone sheets stay put anywhere on the body and are reusable for weeks, alongside options like the Scarban Elastic Silicone Sheets in the wider silicone scar treatment range.
In published case series from centres including the University Hospital of Ghent, pairing a BAPSCARCARE silicone sheet with the gel progressively flattened and lightened surgical and keloid scars over several months, with high patient comfort and no side effects. Feel free to see real before and afters of Scarban, the silicone treatment.
When a cream beats a sheet: ALHYDRAN
Silicone isn't right for every scar. For burns, large or awkward areas and sensitive, fragile skin, ALHYDRAN, an aloe vera-based medical moisture-retention cream, is often the better choice. It absorbs into the skin to keep it deeply hydrated and supple, and clinical research shows it improves skin hydration and elasticity while reducing itching and tightness. That makes it a mainstay for burn recovery and post-radiotherapy skin, with an SPF 30 version for sun-exposed scars.
What the specialists say
The clearest signal of a serious scar product is whether the people who treat scars for a living rely on it. Emma Holly is one of the world's leading specialists in scar therapy. With almost 30 years of experience, she treats patients at her clinic on Harley Street, London's most famous street for health professionals, and teaches scar therapy to NHS and private hospital staff and therapists worldwide, presenting at international symposiums from Berlin to New Zealand. She is also the only therapist personally nominated by Sharon Wheeler to teach the original ScarWork™ technique. Among the products she backs, Emma Holly is an avid supporter of BAP Medical's scar range. Endorsement from that level of expertise is a very different thing from a marketing budget.
How the best scar treatments compare
An honest, like-for-like comparison between clinically backed scar treatments and the everyday scar creams on most shelves:
| What matters | Medical-grade silicone & ALHYDRAN | Many everyday scar creams |
|---|---|---|
| Active approach | Medical-grade silicone plus aloe-based medical hydration | Basic emollients or onion-extract gels |
| Clinical evidence | Peer-reviewed studies and hospital case series | Often limited or marketing-led |
| Product status | Developed as medical devices | Usually general cosmetics |
| Made in | Netherlands (BAP Medical) | Often unspecified |
| UV protection | SPF 40 and SPF 30 options | Usually none |
| Formats | Gel plus thin and thick silicone sheets (a full system) | A single cream |
| Specialist backing | Endorsed by leading scar specialist Emma Holly | None |
| Suitable for | Old and new, surgical, C-section, keloid, burns, sensitive skin | General use |
No competitor brands are named here. This compares categories of product, not specific companies.
Which type is right for your scar?
Silicone gel, such as BAPSCARCARE Silicone Scar Gel or Scarban Velvet Touch, suits the face, joints, hands and anywhere a sheet won't stay put. It dries clear and wears under make-up and sunscreen.
Silicone sheets, such as the reusable Scarban Elastic Silicone Sheets, suit flatter areas like a C-section, abdomen or chest, where they add gentle, even pressure.
ALHYDRAN cream suits burns, sensitive or fragile skin and daily all-over hydration. A common approach is a sheet or gel on the scar itself with ALHYDRAN around it, since the two work well together. The full range sits in one place in the scar treatment collection.
The bottom line
The best scar cream is the clinically proven one used consistently. For most people in New Zealand that means a medical-grade silicone gel or sheet, ideally from a specialist manufacturer like BAP Medical, with ALHYDRAN alongside it for burns and sensitive skin. Evidence, medical-device quality and specialist endorsement matter far more than the loudest label. For anyone who wants to check the claims, the underlying studies are available on the clinical research page.
Frequently asked questions
Do scar creams actually work?
The most effective proven option is silicone. It's recommended as a first-line treatment in international scar guidelines and is shown to improve the colour, thickness and flexibility of raised scars with consistent daily use.
What's the best treatment for an old scar?
Older scars respond more slowly than new ones, but many people still see improvement with several months of daily silicone. Silicone sheeting has been shown to help both old and new hypertrophic and keloid scars.
Silicone gel or ALHYDRAN cream?
Silicone is best for raised, red or surgical scars. ALHYDRAN is best for burns, sensitive skin and everyday hydration. They can be used together.
When should scar treatment start?
Once the wound is fully closed with no scabs or open areas, often around two to three weeks after surgery or injury. For best results, use consistently for at least 8 to 12 weeks.
Where can these products be bought in New Zealand?
The silicone and ALHYDRAN ranges discussed here are available in NZ through the scar treatment collection.
