How To Use Collagen Powder for Wound Healing
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If you are distressed about slow wound healing, you're going to want to know about collagen dressing for wound healing and how it could be the treatment you've been searching for.
The benefits of using a collagen wound dressing or collagen powder, cream or ointment can make a world of difference in ensuring proper healing and reduced scarring.
Especially for diabetic ulcers, burns, surgical wounds, chronic wounds, skin graft and biopsy wounds.
Let’s dive into some important things to know before about using collagen powder for wound healing.
What Is The Function Of Collagen?
First, let's talk about collagen protein.
The human body is made up of approximately 16% proteins and collagen makes up around 30% of overall proteins.
Hence, it is the most abundant protein found in your body.
Scientifically speaking, collagen is a key structural protein within your connective tissue including skin, ligaments, tendons, cartilage, and bones. It effectively works as a strong and flexible "glue" that holds and binds cells together.
It also sends out important signals that help repair damaged cells, as well as help reduce inflammation.
Unfortunately, as you get to your late 20s, collagen production begins to slow down at a rate of approximately 1% per year. Once you approach menopause and after menopause, the rate slows down ever more.
Actually, there's no missing the lower collagen production, your body will definitely show signs of reduced collagen protein.
Since collagen begins to rebuild the strength of your skin and wound environment, it also helps promote skin regeneration and holds off infection.
What Is Collagen Made Of?
The process to create a collagen protein requires certain amino acids glycine, proline, arginine and hydroxyproline (an amino acid made when vitamin c synthesizes proline and lysine), vitamins (vitamin C) and minerals (copper, zinc).
Therefore, anything we can do to consume these amino acids, vitamins and minerals each day will protect the collagen you do have and will encourage your body to make more.
The Predicable Process of Wound Healing
For the most part, all wound healing follows a predictable path.
Collagen is heavily needed and used in the second phase of healing, which is proliferation.
Here are the three steps your body goes through when healing a wound:
What Can Stop The Healing Process?
There are situations that can stop or slow down the healing process. If the process doesn't properly complete, you could end up with a wound that just won't heal.
Here are factors that affect wound healing:
Benefits of Collagen Powder for Wound Healing
As we already stated above, using collagen powder for wound healing can offer many outstanding benefits.
Step 2 in the wound healing process brings several cell types to the wound, like fibroblasts and keratinocytes, that help increase tissue growth around the injury.
In addition, these cell types help remove infected or damaged skin cells so that it is easier to begin healing.
Collagen powder, dressings or gel can help treat many types of wounds, such as:
Collagen direct wound treatment is generally not good for people with third-degree burns, injuries where the burn tissue has already fallen off or there are allergies to cattle, bird or swine products.
Always consult a physician for their expert advice when working on your own wound healing.
Collagen powder for wound healing is flexible and easy to use. It also is readily available in different forms such as gels, pastes, powders and pads.
Here are the benefits of collagen when used to heal open wounds:
Decreases risk of infection
Collagen powder used in wound treatment can help reduce the risk of infection. It will form a shield around the wound and protect it from external bacteria.
Along with that, it helps the body produce antimicrobial compounds to help fight infection.
Lessens irritation
The natural qualities of collagen offer a soft yet moist environment which will lend itself to less chance of any irritation.
Plus, it is a naturally occurring protein in the body, so it's not foreign to the human system.
One word of caution is that you should pay attention to the ingredient list for any allergens that may affect you. These allergies could be to eggs, fish, meat or gluten.
Application Versatility
There are many ways that collagen can be used to help with wounds.
You could consume a collagen supplement like a drink, dressings that contains collagen fiber to actual collagen powder.
Check with your doctor on what approach(es) would work best for you.
4 Excellent Collagen Products For Wound Healing
Here are four products to consider when treating wounds with collagen protein.
Although we mentioned gels, powder or collagen wound dressings, it's also smart to know you can heal from the inside out with a collagen drink.
Here are the 4 best collagen peptides products that can help with wound closure:
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Heal from the inside out with this drink powder that goes beyond basic nutrition.
This product is a unique blend of the following and has show to have a positive effect in two weeks of regular use:
- Amino acids: Arginine to promote nutrient-rich blood flow, and Glutamine to help the body build new tissue
- Vitamins C, E, B12, and zinc: All support immune function and wound healing
- HMB: With HMB to protect muscle cells and preserve muscle tissue
Click on the image above for more information
This collagen dressing is applied to the wound area and contains hydrolyzed collagen powder.
It is effective in creating the optimal environment for cellular growth that will help your wounds heal faster and without increasing a risk of infection.
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This topical gel helps provide a moist wound healing environment while it helps to take care of dead skin and support tissue regeneration.
The hydrogel is clear so you will still be able to monitor the wound without hindrance.
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Made from equine (horse) collagen powder, once packed into the wound, this topical collagen powder transforms into a soft gel, allowing contact with the entire wound.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Collagen is the most abundant protein in your body. It's especially present in skin, which is the largest organ in the body. Collagen is the 'glue' that holds everything together--skin, hair and cartilage to name a few. That's why collagen powder for wound healing can be effective.
Although you start life with lots of collagen, as you approach the age of 30 and thereafter, your body slows down collagen production.
Not only that, weak nutrition or chronic medical conditions also can hinder the wound healing process. Not getting enough protein, crucial amino acids, necessary vitamins and minerals leads to sabotaging the body during the healing.
Once the collagen 'glue' is separated due to a wound, your body rushes in to start the 3-step healing system.
During the 3-step healing process, proliferation is the second step and is where new collagen protein is created to help form the tissue to fill the wound. Without the ability to fill the wound and hold off infection, the wound won't heal properly.
If you don't have enough collagen-producing ability in your body, adding extra collagen to the healing steps will keep your body on the right track.
Products that contain collagen are easy to buy and easy to use There are several ways we can get extra collagen including dressings, gels, powder, supplements and drinks.
If you are in the position where you need to heal a wound, check with your doctor on what product would be the best choice.