Plant Medicine Helps Reduce Scars And Regenerate Skin Tissue

When we are injured, the body launches a complex rescue operation. The initial response to injury is bleeding and the formation of a blood clot. The upper portion of the clot dries out to form the scab, while the lower part is the setting for many of the key processes of wound healing. Specialized cells called fibroblasts lurking just beneath the surface of the skin jump into action, enter the provisional wound matrix and start secreting collagen to close the wound as fast as possible. This matrix is initially soft and loaded with growth factors.
The fibroblasts crawl around the matrix, pulling and reorganizing the fibers. The matrix grows stiffer, and at a certain point, the fibroblasts stop migrating and change into powerful contractile cells, anchoring themselves to the matrix and pulling the edges of the wound together. Scar tissue is composed of the same main protein as normal skin, but with differences in details of composition. Most crucially, the protein fibres in normal tissue have a random appearance, while those in scar tissue have pronounced alignment in a single direction.
A mechanical mechanism is crucial for this switch from migrating to contractile cells. To make this change, the fibroblasts need to get at their spinach, the growth factor sitting in matrix which, once liberated, stimulates the production of smooth-muscle proteins. The fibroblasts unlock the growth factor via a purely mechanical process. With experiments using novel cell culture substrates of varying rigidity, at a certain point, the matrix is sufficiently rigid that cell-exerted force allows the growth factor to pop out, like candy from a wrapper.
Although this process will heal a wound quickly, if left unchecked, it can also lead to a buildup of fibrous tissue. Following trauma to vital organs such as heart, lung, liver and kidney, overzealous fibroblasts can continue to build fibrous strands, leading to scar tissue buildup that can impair the organ's function. Fibroblasts are also the culprits in problems caused by implants; if the implant is too smooth, it never becomes properly incorporated into the connective tissue. But if it is too rough, scar tissue develops around it and it won't function properly.
Occasionally, following plastic surgery, unsightly excessive scar tissue can develop in the skin as well. The process can cause problems in mesenchymal stem cell cultures; if the culture's substrate is stiff, considerable efforts have to be made to prevent the stem cells from turning prematurely into fibroblasts instead of the desired cell type. Controlling the rigidity of the cell culture is therefore critical. The understanding of the mechanical nature of fibroblast activation could be used to reduce or prevent fibrosis from occurring.
A long term course of steroid injections under medical supervision, into the scar may help flatten and soften the appearance of keloid or hypertrophic scars. The steroid is injected into the scar itself; since very little is absorbed into the blood stream, side effects of this treatment are minor. However, it does cause thinning of the scar tissue so it does carry risks when injected into scars caused by operations into ruptured tendons. This treatment is usually repeated at four to six week intervals. Topical steroids are ineffective.
Scar revision is a process of cutting the scar tissue out. After the excision, the new wound is usually closed up in order to heal by primary intention, instead of secondary intention. Deeper cuts need a multi-layered closure to heal optimally, otherwise depressed or dented scars can result. Surgical excision of hypertrophic or keloid scars is often associated to other methods such as pressotherapy or silicone gel sheeting. Lone excision of keloid scars however shows a high recurrence rate close to forty five percent.
Unlike other creams or ointment-based products, often filled with impermeable substances and fillers that sit on your skin, plant medicine is composed of pure and natural essential oils and plant resins, with the unique ability to penetrate into the cells to help heal damaged skin. This natural scar treatment is known for its ability to speed cellular growth and assist in regenerating skin tissue. It effectively reduces the size of scars, eliminates the purplish color of a scar, and improves elasticity of skin tissue. To learn more, please go to http://www.fonworld.org.