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Can a simple ointment make surgical scars heal better?

NCT ID NCT03561376

Symptom relief Sponsor: Melissa Pugliano-Mauro Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now This study
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Sep 02, 2026 · Last updated Sep 03, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This trial tests whether zinc oxide ointment improves scar healing compared with plain petrolatum after skin surgery. Adults with a surgical cut at least 4.5 cm long on non-scalp skin will apply each ointment to half of the scar daily for a month. Researchers will compare scar appearance, healing speed, and infection rates over six months.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
Topical zinc oxide ointment compared with petrolatum (Vaseline) applied daily to healing surgical scars.
What this could lead to
If zinc oxide proves better, it could become a simple, cheap way to improve scar appearance and reduce complications after skin surgery.
What could go wrong
This is a small early-phase study, so results may not apply to everyone. Zinc oxide can cause skin irritation or allergic reactions in some people.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Early phase 1

The earliest testing in people: a first look at safety, in a very small group.

Participants

About 30 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Started

Sep 2021

Expected to finish

Oct 2027

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

18 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: 1. ≥ 18 years of age 2. Linear closure, non-scalp site 3. ≥ 4.5 cm in length (final incision/closure length) 4. End to end symmetry (surgical site is not grossly asymmetric from end to end) 5. Grossly uninfected site Exclusion Criteria: 1. ≤ 18 years 2. Visibly asymmetric linear scar 3. Grossly infected surgical site 4. History of allergy to topical zinc oxide

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Cicatrix, Hypertrophic severe cutaneous adverse reaction Surgical Wound Surgical Wound Infection

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Hypertrophic scar Scar Surgery-complications Surgical incision Surgical site infection Surgical wound

How to take part

Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.

  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  3. A doctor treating you

    A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • UPMC Dermatology St. Margaret

    RECRUITING

    Pittsburgh, PA, Pennsylvania, 15213, United States

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