FAQs
Q1. How does the Dimethicone in Hexilak Acne Scar Serum reduce scars — is it the same as silicone gel sheets?
A1. Hexilak works through the same mechanism as silicone scar sheets — the gold-standard method for scar management established in clinical dermatology. Dimethicone (polydimethylsiloxane) creates a semi-occlusive film over the scar that: (1) increases local hydration, softening the scar tissue; (2) regulates fibroblast activity by reducing TGF-β1, the growth factor that drives excess collagen production in hypertrophic scars; and (3) creates a microelectrostatic environment that disrupts abnormal collagen cross-linking. In serum form, Dimethicone reaches irregular scar surfaces, concave acne scars, and hard-to-reach anatomical zones (nasolabial folds, jawline) that silicone sheets cannot conform to — making Hexilak applicable to a wider range of scar types than sheets alone.
Q2. What type of acne scars does Hexilak Acne Scar Serum work best for — does it help with ice-pick or boxcar scars too?
A2. Acne scars are classified as atrophic (tissue loss — ice-pick, rolling, boxcar) or hypertrophic/keloidal (excess tissue). Hexilak's Dimethicone and Tripeptide-1 (GHK peptide, which stimulates collagen synthesis via copper-dependent pathways) are most effective for raised hypertrophic scars and post-inflammatory erythema (redness). For rolling and boxcar scars (shallow-to-moderate atrophic depressions), the collagen-stimulating effect of GHK Tripeptide-1 can produce gradual volume restoration, though this takes 3–6 months of consistent twice-daily use. Ice-pick scars (deep, narrow channels) have limited response to topical-only therapy; they typically require dermatological procedures (subcision, TCA cross, laser) with Hexilak used as an adjunct to maintain results.
Q3. How is Hexilak's Tripeptide-1 (GHK) different from other peptide scar serums?
A3. Tripeptide-1 refers to GHK (Glycine-Histidine-Lysine), a naturally occurring tripeptide in human plasma that declines with age. GHK-Cu (copper-complexed GHK) is one of the most studied wound-healing peptides in dermatology, with evidence for: activating TGF-β3 (the isoform that promotes scar remodelling and normal collagen architecture, as opposed to TGF-β1 that drives excessive scarring), upregulating matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) that break down abnormal collagen cross-links in scars, and stimulating angiogenesis to improve scar vascularity and healing. The copper chelation mechanism is what distinguishes GHK from synthetic film-forming peptides — it has direct collagen-remodelling biological activity, not just occlusion.
Q4. Can Hexilak Acne Scar Serum be used on new scars immediately after acne heals, or should I wait?
A4. Early intervention produces the best outcomes. The optimal window for scar treatment begins as soon as the wound is fully epithelialised (skin surface is closed, no open wound, scab has fully shed) — typically 2–3 weeks after an acne lesion resolves. At this point, the scar is in the active remodelling phase, where fibroblasts and collagen are still being organised. Starting Hexilak during this window allows the Dimethicone to modulate the collagen deposition process while it is still malleable, potentially preventing a raised or dark scar from forming at all. Older scars (months to years) still respond, but change more slowly as the collagen matrix has fully matured.
Q5. Can Hexilak Acne Scar Serum be used alongside active acne treatments — will it interfere with benzoyl peroxide or retinoids?
A5. Hexilak is a scar treatment serum, not an acne treatment, so it targets post-acne marks rather than active pimples. You can use it simultaneously with an acne-treatment routine without significant interaction. A practical protocol: apply your acne treatment (benzoyl peroxide, adapalene, niacinamide) to active or prone areas in your routine, and apply Hexilak specifically to areas with existing scars — there is often minimal overlap between active breakout zones and old scar sites. If an active breakout and a forming scar are adjacent, prioritise the acne treatment on the active lesion and apply Hexilak to the surrounding healed scar tissue without overlapping onto the inflamed pimple itself.
