Centella asiatica (cica)

What it is

Centella asiatica, also called gotu kola or "cica", is a small creeping herb from Asian wetlands with a long history in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine. Its active compounds are triterpenes, chiefly asiaticoside, madecassoside, asiatic acid and madecassic acid^{1, 2}. In the laboratory these encourage skin fibroblasts to make collagen and calm several inflammatory pathways, which is why extracts turn up in wound creams, scar gels and "soothing" skin care ranges^{1, 2}.

What the evidence says

Evidence: limited. Many laboratory and animal studies and a handful of small human trials; nothing large or repeated.

The human evidence is small but reasonably consistent. In a split-face trial of 30 adults having laser resurfacing for acne scars, a gel with 0.05% standardised extract on one side gave slightly less measured redness and better healing scores from blinded doctors in the first week, though skin-barrier measurements showed no difference³. In 200 people with diabetic wounds, oral extract improved wound contraction compared with placebo, with no serious side effects⁴. A trial that enrolled 100 pregnant women found that a cream combining centella with vitamin E and collagen reduced the share who developed stretch marks from 56% to about a third among the 80 who completed it, but the mixture makes it impossible to credit centella alone². Reviews also report benefit for burns and raised (hypertrophic) scars, mostly from older or uncontrolled work^{1, 2}.

In practice, centella creams are gentle and may speed recovery of irritated, over-exfoliated or freshly healed skin. Claims about fading old acne scars are not supported by trials; see our guide to what helps acne scars.

How people use it

• Soothing moisturiser or serum: once or twice daily on irritated or recently treated skin; look for madecassoside or asiaticoside near the top of the ingredients.
• After retinoids or acids: as the moisturising step on nights you use actives, to reduce stinging.
• On a new, closed scar: a centella gel twice daily for several weeks, with modest expectations.
• Oral capsules: used in some countries for wound healing and vein problems; discuss with a doctor first.

Cautions

• Allergic contact dermatitis to centella extract is uncommon but well documented, and some people report burning on application^{2, 5}. Patch test twice a day for seven to ten days.
• Stop if redness or itching develops after a few days; a "soothing" product can still be the culprit.
• Do not apply it to open or infected wounds without medical advice.
• The safety of oral extracts in pregnancy and breastfeeding has not been established; ask a pharmacist before taking them.
• Rosacea-prone skin usually tolerates centella well, but fragranced products may not; see our rosacea and sensitive skin guide.