Quick answer: one 15 g tube covers a short scar for 60 to 75 days at twice-daily use, so most patients need one tube for a 60-day course and two for a 90-day course on a longer or wider scar. Clinics that dispense by the tube rather than by the gram usually over-supply by 20–40%. Our medical silicone scar gel is packed in clinic units, which makes a per-course calculation straightforward.
How much gel does one application actually use?
Silicone gel works as a thin film, not as an ointment layer. A practical rule is 0.015 g per centimetre of scar length per application, which puts a 10 cm scar at about 0.15 g and a 20 cm scar at about 0.3 g. Patients who spread it thickly run out early and gain nothing, because the excess is wiped away by clothing.
| Scar length | Gel per application | 60-day course (2×/day) | Tubes of 15 g |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 cm | 0.075 g | 9 g | 1 |
| 10 cm | 0.15 g | 18 g | 2 (or 1 with careful use) |
| 20 cm | 0.30 g | 36 g | 3 |
| Two scars, 10 cm total | 0.15 g | 18 g | 2 |
The table assumes consistent twice-daily use. Real adherence is closer to 70%, which is why clinics that dispense one tube per 60 days rarely see a stockout and clinics that dispense two see waste.
When should a clinic dispense a second tube?
At the four-to-six week review, not at the first visit. By then the patient either has 30–40% of the tube left, in which case one tube is enough, or is nearly empty, which usually means the scar is longer than recorded or the application is too thick. That review is also the moment to correct technique rather than to hand over more product.
Does the scar type change the tube count?
Yes, in two ways. Hypertrophic and keloid scars are treated for longer, commonly 90 days and sometimes six months, so the tube count rises with duration rather than with area. Fresh surgical scars on a joint move constantly and the film wears off faster, which increases reapplication and can add half a tube per month. Documenting scar type next to the tube count is what makes the next estimate accurate.
How should a clinic document dispensing?
One line per patient visit: date, scar site and length, grams or tube fraction dispensed, lot number. That record answers the two questions that come up later, which are whether the patient ran out early and whether a batch of tubes is implicated in a reaction. A printable dispensing log and the log generator cover it without new software.
Clinics supplying multiple practitioners should also set a reorder point in tubes rather than in dollars, and review it once a quarter against actual dispensing. Multi-site groups can consolidate through wholesale and multi-site ordering. Reselling? become a distributor.
Related reading
- Silicone Scar Gel Dosing and Coverage in Canada
- Silicone Scar Gel After Laser in Canadian Clinics
- Post-Surgery Scar Care: A Canadian Clinic Framework
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a 15 g tube of silicone scar gel last?
On a 10 cm scar at twice-daily use, about 50 to 60 days. On a 5 cm scar the same tube lasts around 100 days.
Do patients need a new tube every month?
No. A monthly replacement schedule over-supplies most patients; dispense by measured coverage and review at four to six weeks.
Does a thicker layer of gel work faster?
No. Silicone gel works as a thin film. A thick layer wastes product and is usually rubbed off by clothing within the hour.
How many tubes for a keloid course?
Keloid treatment commonly runs 90 days and sometimes six months, so budget two to four tubes depending on scar length.
CliniEco Medical is a licensed medical device establishment (MDEL #35334).