Foam for the wound
Poorly healing wounds and severe scarring are more than just a cosmetic problem; they can significantly impair a person's mobility and health. Empa researchers have now developed a foam that prevents excessive scarring and helps wounds to heal. An essential ingredient: turmeric, the yellow ginger.
A scar on the elbow that tightens with every movement, or a foot where a Wound simply will not close - poorly healing Injuries are a common cause of health limitations. And although millions of people are affected in their daily lives, the complex process of wound healing is not yet fully understood or even controllable. Empa researchers have therefore developed a foam that is placed in skin wounds and optimizes the natural healing process. With the "Scaravoid" project, Markus Rottmar and his team at Empa's "Biointerfaces" laboratory in St. Gallen have taken a step in a new direction. "Traditional treatments target individual factors of wound healing, such as oxygen supply or moisture regulation, and produce only an insufficient tissue response," explains Rottmar. Within "Scaravoid," which is funded by the Gebert Rüf Foundation, however, the healing process is to be understood and supported more comprehensively.
Perfect interaction
What is clear so far is that a perfectly orchestrated interplay of many factors in the body is needed to reclose an injury to the skin and transform it into healthy tissue. Cells must be attracted so that a well-dosed inflammation cleans the wound. In order for the cleaned defect to close, new tissue grows, which is eventually remodeled into functional skin. As amazing as the body's self-healing powers are in an ideal situation, however, a malfunction can upset the balance and lead to excessive scarring or inadequate wound closure. In the elderly or diabetics, for example, there is an increased risk that the complex cascade will be impaired.
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