The company was founded by a group of plastic surgeons at Stanford University and has made partnerships with celebrities like tennis legend Serena Williams to advertise their products.
According to Embrace Scar Therapy, the company's silicone scar sheets incorporate:
Tension Relief: "works by contracting and gently holding a closed incision together, actively relieving the skin's natural tension to address the root cause of scarring..."
Stress-Shield Technology: "this unique innovation protects your incision from added stresses caused by normal body movements, minimizing the widening and thickening of your scars."
100% Medical Grade Silicone: silicone is "proven to help flatten, soften, and fade scars..."
However, if you check out any of Embrace's silicone sheets on Amazon, you'll notice that the reviews have been overwhelming negative with 57% of ratings in the 1-, 2-, or 3-star buckets.
After reading some of these reviews, it seems most people complained about the product not adhering to their skin, leaving behind blisters or causing skin irritation, and the high price.
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The problem, though, is that the Tummy Tuck product is "lumped in" with other Embrace products like the Small, Medium, Large, and X-Large silicone sheets (many Amazon sellers do this to make it seem like they have a large number of reviews).
In other words, we don't know the rating for the Tummy Tuck version on its own. There is one way that's slightly complicated: go to "see all customer reviews", "see all reviews from the United States", then under the "Filter By" boxes, click on "All Formats", and select "Show only reviews for ....".
This will show you only the reviews from people who actually bought the Tummy Tuck kit.
Sheet Size: 6.3" in length (undisclosed width) designed for abdominoplasty (tummy tuck)
Treatment Period: each box includes 9 full-length silicone strips and applicators which the company states should last 30 days (you need 3 strips to cover the tummy tuck scar and each strip is expected to last ~10 days). The full treatment of 2 boxes includes 18 silicone strips.
Price: the deal-breaker for most people here will be the high price of these silicone strips. The 30-day package (9 silicone strips) currently sells for almost $200 on Amazon! For this reason, you may want to consider cheaper alternatives like the ScarAway Silicone Scar Sheets Long (1.5" x 7.0") which you can use in the same way (one box of 6 silicone strips lasts ~20 days)
Now, it's really important that you follow the instructions carefully and apply the silicone sheet to a clean skin surface with no oils, creams, or ointments (watch the Embrace video here).
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Finally, here's two positive reviews and one negative review for Embrace Scar Therapy:
"The trick to these things is knowing how to use them properly. It took me two whole sheets to figure it out. I used these for a long tummy tuck scar on my lower abdomen. At first I followed the directions and used an entire rectangle. The bandage did not stay on long and started peeling off around edges like other people said in their reviews. The first round lasted about 3 days. I thought, “Wow! That’s expensive and doesn’t last long but maybe if I alter how I’m using them and prep my skin more aggressively they’ll stay on longer.” So I did, and then they worked perfectly! I’m starting my 6th week of treatment and boy am I glad I stuck with it because my tt scar looks amazing! (Side note, I also used the little square embrace bandages for my new belly button which was starting to scar slightly around edges)"
"Used the tummy tuck set ~ totally easy to use ~ shower proof & makes a huge difference in the scar. Lightened the actual scar & flattened out the incision very nicely."
"The Embrace strip never lasted more than 3 days before beginning to lift. The first set that I used failed miserably but I gave it a second try after the company offered me a replacement. They advised me to get a barrier film that was supposed to help but it actually made it worse. They just didn't stick long and I even avoided lotion and oils during use. I will go back to Scar Away. I feel like I wasted my money."
My Verdict: If you have tummy tuck scars or are planning to undergo a tummy tuck procedure, the Embrace Active Scar Defense for Tummy Tuck Scars can help minimize scar formation and reduce scar appearance after your surgery. The main sticking point is the price (pun intended!) and a more budget-friendly alternative is the ScarAway Silicone Scar Sheets Long (1.5" by 7.0").
