Can burn ointment remove scars?
Oct 29, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Wang Lei
Introduction
In general, burn ointments cannot directly remove already-formed scars. However, their primary function is to promote wound healing and prevent infection, which indirectly reduces the likelihood of scar formation or lessens the severity of scars. Additionally, in cases of deep burns, even with proper use of burn ointment, scars may still develop due to extensive damage to skin tissue, requiring further targeted treatments.
Generally, burn ointments cannot directly remove already-formed scars. However, their primary role is to promote wound healing and prevent infection, which indirectly reduces the likelihood of scar formation or lessens the severity of scars. The details are as follows:
Burn ointments mainly function during the acute phase of burn wound management. They form a protective layer over the wound, maintain a moist environment, reduce the risk of infection from external contaminants, and in some cases contain ingredients that promote epithelial cell repair, thereby facilitating faster and more orderly wound healing. Since scar formation is directly related to the quality of wound healing, if the wound heals smoothly without infection or excessive damage, tissue repair will be more complete, reducing the likelihood of scarring or resulting in milder scars if they do form.
However, it should be clearly understood that once a scar has formed, regular burn ointments cannot eliminate it. At this stage, specialized scar treatment products or medical interventions are required. Additionally, for deep burns, even with proper use of burn ointments, scars may still develop due to extensive skin tissue damage, necessitating further targeted treatments.
