I have used Vitamin E for scarring for quite a while and I know it works for small wounds that are healing. It helps keep the skin moist and supple and if you are left with a scar, it's a really small one that is barely noticeable. Keeping a bottle of Vitamin E lotion or gel in the house should be a must.

Is Vitamin E cream good for healing a big scar from open heart surgery? Is it safe to put it on as I am on blood thinners (coumadin)?

Dear Inez,

Although you should always check with your doctor, it is unlikely that topical application of vitamin E will enter your bloodstream in high enough quantities to cause excessive blood thinning in conjunction with the coumadin. Of course bigger scar surface area equates to a larger total quantity of vitamin E that will go on your skin. If your doctor wants you to avoid vitamin E cream, here are 3 alternative ingredients you can look for in a topical product that are excellent for promoting healing, especially when it comes to dealing with scars from surgery.

1. Aloe Vera is very beneficial and has been shown in numerous studies to enhance healing of topical wounds.

2. If you can find the ingredient Carnosine in a topical , that would be good too. Carnosine has shown an ability to help prevent a process called glycation. Glycation can lead to wrinkled and inflexible skin. So Carnosine can help improve elasticity during the healing process which is very important for lessening the severity of scar formation.

3. Any topical products with Tamanu Oil, which comes from a nut native to the South Seas, can be very helpful. There is much historical as well as clinical evidence that shows Tamanu to be very efficient at promoting the proper healing of wounds and lessening the appearance and severity of scars from surgery.

I hope this helps you.

Prof. NutraLegacy

Does it work well for acne scars too?