Acne, caused by the clogging of the hair follicles by dead skin cells, sebum, and dirt, is the most-prevalent skin condition in the U.S. As per the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), nearly 85% of the U.S. population is affected by acne at some point in its life, which leads to scar formation, eventually. Similarly, the American Burn Association (ABA) recorded around 486,000 burn injuries in the U.S. in 2011. Burns also lead to nasty scars, which often have detrimental effects on the way a person looks.

The increasing expenditure on personal care by the U.S. population is an outcome of the rising awareness about different scar treatments. For instance, according to the AAD, a staggering 40–50 million Americans spend a combined $2 million annually on the prevention and treatment of acne itself. As an outcome of the rising dermatological awareness, Americans are adopting home-use topical products, including creams, oils, and gels, for the reduction or removal of scars, because of their high efficacy and low price.

The U.S. population suffers from multiple types of scars — acne scars, keloid and hypertrophic scars, post-surgical scars, stretch marks, and contracture scars. Among these, the products used to treat keloid and hypertrophic scars will witness the fastest growth in demand in the coming years. This can be attributed to the rise in the volume of general surgical procedures, cases of burns and chronic wounds, all of which lead to the creation of ugly scars.

Among the various types of treatments available in the U.S. scar treatment market, including topical treatments, lasers, injectables, and surgeries, topical treatments have been the most popular till now, as gel sheets, gels, oils, and creams are now being increasingly used at homes. For instance, topical products, such as silicone gels, help in the reduction of prominent immature scars and prevention of the formation of scars on freshly healed wounds.

The varied reasons for skin ailments have resulted in an increasing demand for scar treatment, which has, in turn, led to the development of new and improved products. In the recent past, cosmetics firms have focused on the production of home-use topical products and getting them approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Some of the key companies offering scar treatment products in the country are Quantum Health, Pacific World Corporation, Johnson & Johnson, Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc., Revitol Corporation Inc., CCA Industries Inc., Scarguard Labs LLC, and Merz Pharma GmbH & Co.

With key players working to meet the increasing demand for scar treatments, the U.S. population is being offered numerous products. The increasing awareness and focus on personal care will result in a huge demand for all the scar treatments available and newer ones in the near future.