When you have an injury to your skin that goes past the surface layers and enters the dermis, your body responds by making a protein called collagen to repair the damage. A deeper layer of your skin, the dermis already features a matrix of collagen that supports and nourishes the outer layers.
New collagen formed after an injury or incision may not mesh with the existing matrix, resulting in the uneven appearance you know as a scar. It can be raised above or sunken below the level of surrounding skin.
The color of scarred skin may not match the surrounding area and probably won’t react to sun exposure in the same way. While a scar won’t cause medical issues, its appearance may be unwanted.
The good news is Biocorneum® — which is a medical-grade silicone gel — can help reduce the appearance of new and old scar tissue. Facial plastic surgeon Alexis Furze, MD, often recommends Biocorneum, and in this blog, he explains more about why scars form and how this treatment can help.
Minor cuts and scrapes affect only the outer layers of your skin, leaving the collagen matrix unaffected. These injuries typically won’t scar as they heal. When an injury disrupts the collagen layer, however, scars develop after the wound heals.
Overproduction of collagen triggered by an injury can leave a raised scar, either a hypertrophic or a keloid scar. When damage is deep enough to affect fat or muscle tissue, such as with acne or surgical incisions, scars can be pitted or sunken.
Sometimes, scars form when the skin stretches quickly, such as during pregnancy or teen growth spurts. Skin injuries near a joint may sometimes display stretch scars after healing.
Hospitals often use sheets of medical-grade silicone for scar treatment, because silicone can help reduce the appearance of scars. Effective use of silicone, though, requires constant contact with newly scarred skin to both hydrate the skin and prevent excess collagen production. Older, established scar tissue also responds to silicone contact, though the healing process takes longer.
Biocorneum skips the need for sheets of silicone by using a gel with a patented form of silicone that dries on your skin and offers the needed contact for about 12 hours. Applying Biocorneum twice a day provides the full benefits of silicone for scar treatment. The dried gel remains flexible, and your skin can still breathe through this layer.
Since scars are extra sensitive to ultraviolet (UV) light, Biocorneum includes SPF 30 ingredients to protect the treated area. Sometimes scars can be itchy as they heal. For these, you can get a Biocorneum formula that includes hydrocortisone to reduce the itchiness.
For new scars, Biocorneum treatment starts after scabs are gone and your skin shows the pink color of fresh skin. Apply the gel to the scar, letting it dry fully, twice a day at regular intervals.
If you first apply Biocorneum at 8 a.m., then your second application should be at 8 p.m. The goal is constant contact between active Biocorneum and the scar being treated. Twice-a-day treatment continues for 60 days for new scars. Older scars respond better to 90 days of use.
Look to Dr. Furze and his team as your partners during scar recovery. You’re assured access to genuine Biocorneum products as well as expert advice for their use. To learn more, call 949-389-6673 to book an appointment with the practice of Alexis Furze, MD, today.
