Blog

The Role of Vitamin E (Tocopherol) in Scar Management

Scarring problem represents a great concern for dermatologists and plastic surgeons around the world, and patients are always seeking the best methods for achieving healthy skin. While invasive procedures such as cortisone injections and scar revision are not  options, people prefer to look for the topical and non-invasive scar management.

 

Vitamin E is probably one of the most popular preparations among the public for use in improving the cosmetic appearance of scars (1). Vitamin E is made up of four pairs of racemic stereoisomers that are derivatives of tocol and tocotrienol and is part of a class of related compounds, the tocopherols, of which alpha-tocopherol is the most important component. The most common preparation of vitamin E is in the form of topical alpha-tocopherol prepared in a cream or oil base.

 

Read on to learn more about the role  of Vitamin E to minimize the scarring and discover a clinically-proven scar therapy solution.

 

What is vitamin E?

 

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin with several forms, but alpha-tocopherol is the only one used by the human body. Its main role is to act as an antioxidant, scavenging loose electrons – so-called “free radicals” – that can damage cells (2). It also enhances immune function and prevents clots from forming in heart arteries. Antioxidant vitamins, including vitamin E, came to public attention in the 1980s when scientists began to understand that free radical damage was involved in the early stages of artery-clogging atherosclerosis, and might also contribute to cancer, vision loss, and a host of other chronic conditions. Vitamin E has the ability to protect cells from free radical damage as well as reduce the production of free radicals in certain situations.

 

Vitamin E and healing process

 

Some clinical studies suggest that vitamin E can be effective for people with severe damage to their skin. Vitamin E can support your body in several aspects of the healing process.

 

For example, vitamin E protects the body’s tissues from free radicals, which can damage cells and accelerate aging. It’s also critical for the formation of red blood cells, which distribute oxygen around the body. Both functions are vital to healing.

 

Vitamin E was discovered in 1922 by researchers at the University of California who suggested it had beneficial properties for skin, especially in support of wound healing and scar repair (PubMed). Vitamin E can be applied topically and will have good penetration into deep dermal tissue. Its antioxidative property helps stabilize cell membranes, including cells of the inflammatory process, and thus reduces the amounts of chemicals released by those cells. Vitamin E also influences the production of collagen, a structural protein partially responsible for the strength and elasticity of skin as well as scar information (PubMed).

 

Additionally, some researches also emphasize the influence of vitamin E on accelaration on stratum corneum hydration.

 

Based on numerous studies mentioned above, obviously, Vitamine E plays the important role to speed up the wound healing process and hydration, which might minimize the scarring.

 

What is good option for scar management?

 

In one study implemented by Almieri and Gozzi, eighty patients of both sexes, aged between 18 and 63 years, who had hypertrophic scars and keloids, were admitted to the trial. The patients were randomized to two groups in a simple-blinded study. Group A: Forty patients whose scars have been covered with silicone gel with added vitamin E. Group B: Forty patients treated with simple silicone gel. The trial lasted for 2 months. The results were recorded at 4 and 8 weeks, evaluating the improvement according to a Scott-Husskinson scale. For objective assessment photos were taken. The results were analyzed by the chi-square test.

 

The results have shown that: At the end of the first month, group A had improved by more than 50% in 85% of cases, whereas the improvement in group B was 55% (P < 0.01). At the end of the second month, 95% of patients in group A had improved by 50%, whereas 75% had improved by 50% in group B (P < 0.05).

 

Researchers have concluded that Vitamin E added to the silicone gel scored better than the simple silicone gel at the end of both periods. They have reported the successful combined action of vitamin E and silicone gel in scar treatment, especially in the short-term prophylaxis of hypertrophic scars or keloids.

 

Topical silicone gel treatments seem to remain the first point of clinical recommendation in scar management. Silicone gel technology has been used in scar therapy for over 30 years, during which its efficacy has been the subject of numerous clinical studies. Although the mechanism of action of silicone-based products in scar management have not been completely determined, there are many mechanisms by which clinical studies have shown them to significantly impact the improvement of both hypertrophic and keloid scars. Most importantly, although silicone is synthetic, it is completely harmless and has no associated side effects when used topically.

 

We do recommend Nourisil™ MD for scar treatment and prevention because of its unique benefits differentiating from other silicone gel products on the market. Nourisil™ MD contains a unique blend of 5 silicones and Vitamin E to help heal scars. Additionally, Nourisil™ MD is an ultra-light, transparent, non-sticky, and self-drying silicone gel (only within 60 seconds), all of which make it to be good option for scar management.

Lên đầu trang