Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsDoes Vitamin E Work?Benefits for Overall HealthComplementary IngredientsAlternative Techniques
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Does Vitamin E Work?
Benefits for Overall Health
Complementary Ingredients
Alternative Techniques
Vitamin Eis a fat-soluble vitamin found in poultry, vegetable oils, and some fruits. It’s been hailed as an option to reduce the appearance of scars when applied topically. However, little clinical evidence is available to back up these claims.
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate supplements the way it regulates prescription drugs. That means some supplement products may not contain what the label says. Whenchoosing a supplement, look for independently tested products and consult a healthcare provider, registered dietitian nutritionist (RD or RDN), or pharmacist.
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Will Vitamin E Help My Scars Fade?
According to recent research, there is little to no benefit to using vitamin E on the skin to reduce the appearance of scars.Additionally, it may causecontact dermatitis.
Any evidence backing up claims that vitamin E will fade scars is purely anecdotal.
Vitamin E for Keloid ScarsA keloid scar is a thick, raised scar. Some people claim that vitamin E oil can help to reduce the appearance of these types of scars. However, as with other scar formations, no clinical evidence supports that it can help.
Vitamin E for Keloid Scars
A keloid scar is a thick, raised scar. Some people claim that vitamin E oil can help to reduce the appearance of these types of scars. However, as with other scar formations, no clinical evidence supports that it can help.
Vitamin E Oil: Are the Benefits Worth Trying?
Benefits of Vitamin E for Overall Healing
There are several forms of naturally occurring vitamin E: alpha, beta, gamma, and delta. Among the two subgroups aretocopherolsandtocotrienols, which are organic compounds with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and healing properties.
While usingvitamin Eto help reduce the appearance of scars doesn’t provide the results many people claim it does, the tocopherols and tocotrienols may possess some overall healing properties for the body.
These compounds have been shown to have a positive healing effect on various diseases, including:
When taken along with vitamin C, vitamin E may benefit other diseases, including:
The healing properties of vitamin E, stemming from its organic compounds, can improve the body’s overall ability to heal. That said, there is no evidence to support that it can heal scars specifically.
Why Did the Vitamin E Trend Start?While the origin of using vitamin E for scar reduction isn’t well known, studies dating back to the late 1990s investigated the nutrient for its ability to help fade scars. Because the idea has been around for more than two decades, it’s hard to determine where it originated, considering the clinical evidence is essentially non-existent.
Why Did the Vitamin E Trend Start?
While the origin of using vitamin E for scar reduction isn’t well known, studies dating back to the late 1990s investigated the nutrient for its ability to help fade scars. Because the idea has been around for more than two decades, it’s hard to determine where it originated, considering the clinical evidence is essentially non-existent.
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Vitamin E Formulations With Complementary Ingredients
Vitamin E may be mixed with other ingredients, such as the following, to help reduce the appearance of scars:
The evidence to support the use of combination therapy with vitamin E is still scarce, and clinical studies have not yet found that using vitamin E, whether alone or with something else, can be beneficial in healing scars.
Vitamin E for Scar PreventionWhile there is little evidence backing up claims that vitamin E will heal scars after they’ve formed, some older studies found that vitamin E can be beneficial if used on a wound following surgery and before scar tissue can develop.The research indicates that people who have undergone surgery may be able to use vitamin E to prevent the formation of keloid scars because vitamin E helps wound healing.This leads to the theory that vitamin E may be a good prevention technique before scar tissue forms as opposed to afterward.
Vitamin E for Scar Prevention
While there is little evidence backing up claims that vitamin E will heal scars after they’ve formed, some older studies found that vitamin E can be beneficial if used on a wound following surgery and before scar tissue can develop.The research indicates that people who have undergone surgery may be able to use vitamin E to prevent the formation of keloid scars because vitamin E helps wound healing.This leads to the theory that vitamin E may be a good prevention technique before scar tissue forms as opposed to afterward.
While there is little evidence backing up claims that vitamin E will heal scars after they’ve formed, some older studies found that vitamin E can be beneficial if used on a wound following surgery and before scar tissue can develop.
The research indicates that people who have undergone surgery may be able to use vitamin E to prevent the formation of keloid scars because vitamin E helps wound healing.This leads to the theory that vitamin E may be a good prevention technique before scar tissue forms as opposed to afterward.
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Alternative Ways to Improve Scar Appearance and Texture
There are plenty of ways to reduce the appearance of scars other than using vitamin E. They include:
These methods each have their ways of working and offer different results for different types of scars. There are alsoscar creamsthat you can get through prescription or over-the-counter (OTC). They may also help to reduce the appearance of scars.
How to Prevent or Minimize Surgery Scars
Summary
Vitamin E may be hailed as a new miracle regarding scar reduction and fading. However, the lack of clinical evidence suggests that using vitamin E for scars is ineffective and, thus, not necessary.
The only evidence to support the use of vitamin E to help with scars found that you would have to use it while the wound is healing. It can act as a prevention technique, not a healer. For scars to fade, you must use a type of therapy personalized to your scar. You can choose from many other options to minimize the appearance of scars.
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Tanaydin V, Conings J, Malyar M, van der Hulst R, van der Lei B.The role of topical Vitamin E in scar management: A systematic review.Aesthet Surg J.2016 Sep;36(8):959-65. doi:10.1093/asj/sjw046Oregon State University.Vitamin E and skin health.Rizvi S, Raza ST, Ahmed F, Ahmad A, Abbas S, Mahdi F.The role of vitamin e in human health and some diseases.Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J.2014 May;14(2):e157-65.Baumann LS, Spencer J.The effects of topical vitamin E on the cosmetic appearance of scars.Dermatol Surg.1999 Apr;25(4):311-5. doi:10.1046/j.1524-4725.1999.08223.xZampieri N, Zuin V, Burro R, Ottolenghi A, Camoglio FS.A prospective study in children: Pre- and post-surgery use of vitamin E in surgical incisions.J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg.2010 Sep;63(9):1474-8. doi:10.1016/j.bjps.2009.08.018Khansa I, Harrison B, Janis JE.Evidence-based scar management: How to improve results with technique and technology.Plast Reconstr Surg.2016 Sep;138(3 Suppl):165S-178S. doi:10.1097/PRS.0000000000002647
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Tanaydin V, Conings J, Malyar M, van der Hulst R, van der Lei B.The role of topical Vitamin E in scar management: A systematic review.Aesthet Surg J.2016 Sep;36(8):959-65. doi:10.1093/asj/sjw046Oregon State University.Vitamin E and skin health.Rizvi S, Raza ST, Ahmed F, Ahmad A, Abbas S, Mahdi F.The role of vitamin e in human health and some diseases.Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J.2014 May;14(2):e157-65.Baumann LS, Spencer J.The effects of topical vitamin E on the cosmetic appearance of scars.Dermatol Surg.1999 Apr;25(4):311-5. doi:10.1046/j.1524-4725.1999.08223.xZampieri N, Zuin V, Burro R, Ottolenghi A, Camoglio FS.A prospective study in children: Pre- and post-surgery use of vitamin E in surgical incisions.J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg.2010 Sep;63(9):1474-8. doi:10.1016/j.bjps.2009.08.018Khansa I, Harrison B, Janis JE.Evidence-based scar management: How to improve results with technique and technology.Plast Reconstr Surg.2016 Sep;138(3 Suppl):165S-178S. doi:10.1097/PRS.0000000000002647
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Tanaydin V, Conings J, Malyar M, van der Hulst R, van der Lei B.The role of topical Vitamin E in scar management: A systematic review.Aesthet Surg J.2016 Sep;36(8):959-65. doi:10.1093/asj/sjw046Oregon State University.Vitamin E and skin health.Rizvi S, Raza ST, Ahmed F, Ahmad A, Abbas S, Mahdi F.The role of vitamin e in human health and some diseases.Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J.2014 May;14(2):e157-65.Baumann LS, Spencer J.The effects of topical vitamin E on the cosmetic appearance of scars.Dermatol Surg.1999 Apr;25(4):311-5. doi:10.1046/j.1524-4725.1999.08223.xZampieri N, Zuin V, Burro R, Ottolenghi A, Camoglio FS.A prospective study in children: Pre- and post-surgery use of vitamin E in surgical incisions.J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg.2010 Sep;63(9):1474-8. doi:10.1016/j.bjps.2009.08.018Khansa I, Harrison B, Janis JE.Evidence-based scar management: How to improve results with technique and technology.Plast Reconstr Surg.2016 Sep;138(3 Suppl):165S-178S. doi:10.1097/PRS.0000000000002647
Tanaydin V, Conings J, Malyar M, van der Hulst R, van der Lei B.The role of topical Vitamin E in scar management: A systematic review.Aesthet Surg J.2016 Sep;36(8):959-65. doi:10.1093/asj/sjw046
Oregon State University.Vitamin E and skin health.
Rizvi S, Raza ST, Ahmed F, Ahmad A, Abbas S, Mahdi F.The role of vitamin e in human health and some diseases.Sultan Qaboos Univ Med J.2014 May;14(2):e157-65.
Baumann LS, Spencer J.The effects of topical vitamin E on the cosmetic appearance of scars.Dermatol Surg.1999 Apr;25(4):311-5. doi:10.1046/j.1524-4725.1999.08223.x
Zampieri N, Zuin V, Burro R, Ottolenghi A, Camoglio FS.A prospective study in children: Pre- and post-surgery use of vitamin E in surgical incisions.J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg.2010 Sep;63(9):1474-8. doi:10.1016/j.bjps.2009.08.018
Khansa I, Harrison B, Janis JE.Evidence-based scar management: How to improve results with technique and technology.Plast Reconstr Surg.2016 Sep;138(3 Suppl):165S-178S. doi:10.1097/PRS.0000000000002647
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