Zinc Oxide Versus Petrolatum Following Skin Surgery

Recruiting now · Early Phase 1

Conditions studied: Surgical Incision, Surgery--Complications, Surgical Wound, Surgical Site Infection, Scar, Hypertrophic Scar

In brief

Patients undergoing routine surgery in the Department of Dermatology for any indication on non-scalp skin and closed in linear fashion with scar greater than or equal to 4.5cm in length will be invited to participate in this split scar, head to head study comparing zinc oxide and petrolatum. Patients will apply respective ointments to each half of scar daily for one month and maintain a log of these activities. They will be seen at 1 week, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 6 months post-operatively for photographic scar assessment and to complete the patient portion of the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS), a quantitative objective assessment of scar appearance. Trained observers (board-certified dermatologists) will score the observer portion of the scale. POSAS outcomes, post-operative infections, linear density of epidermal seal will be assessed at the 1 week, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 6 months post-operative periods and compared between the two groups. Participants will have parking validated for all visits and upon completion of all portions of the study will receive a standardized skin care gift bag containing samples for hypoallergenic skin care products (washes, moisturizers, etc.).

Key facts

Study ID

NCT03561376

Run by

Melissa Pugliano-Mauro

People needed

30

Starts

2021-09-01

Expected to finish

2026-10-30

Last updated by the study team

2025-08-14

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• ≥ 18 years of age
• Linear closure, non-scalp site
• ≥ 4.5 cm in length (final incision/closure length)
• End to end symmetry (surgical site is not grossly asymmetric from end to end)
• Grossly uninfected site

You may not qualify if…

• ≤ 18 years
• Visibly asymmetric linear scar
• Grossly infected surgical site
• History of allergy to topical zinc oxide

Where it is running

• UPMC Dermatology St. Margaret — Pittsburgh, PA, Pennsylvania, United States (enrolling)

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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