It is quite embarrassing to suffer from skin infection like acne and pimples because they can be quite unsightly and may leave behind scars that will shake our self-confidence and poise. While there are a number of medicines as well as natural remedies that can hasten the scar healing time, it can be very helpful to understand the role and importance of collagen in this process.
Collagen Explained
Collagen is derived from the Greek word ‘kolla’, that means glue. Collagen is a hard, fibrous, and insoluble protein that forms roughly a third of our body protein. Three types of collagen among the 16 that are found in our bodies are most common. The vital importance of collagen lies in its ability to support the structure of muscle and skin and provide strength and firmness required by our bodies.
Having adequate collagen helps to prevent conditions like sagging or wrinkled skin, various types of joint and bone pain, cellulite, etc. further, since collagen is responsible for supporting the skin and bone structure, it aids the generation of new cells in the skin that can act to considerably improve the growth of nails, skin, and hair. Most importantly, collagen eczema assists in closing wounds in the skin and helps them to heal faster by forming new skin.
Collagen in Eczema Scar Removal
Essentially, all eczema scars commence in the same way and transits through three distinct phases. The first is the inflammatory phase where the wound stops bleeding and starts to close in response to the body’s healing mechanism. During this phase, the body requires more vitamins and nutrients and steps taken to lessen the inflammation makes the healing process faster. During the next stage, the proliferative stage, collagen is produced by the body. The eczema wound edges are pulled together and new skin and capillaries form. In the third stage, the maturation stage, more collagen is produced to allow the body to remodel the skin and heal the scar completely.
Factors That May Disrupt Collagen Production
The production of collagen declines as we grow older; this explains why people below 30 look younger than older people. The healing of the wound and scar is also far slower. Diets that are high in processed foods, alcohol, sugar, etc. directly affect the production of collagen and scars take a longer time to heal. Amino acids produced by the digestion of animal protein is deemed vital for repairing tissue and skin damage; L- Glutamine and L-Arginine are two of the most important amino acids required for collagen production and improving the immune system. Thus, a diet deficiency in animal protein may lead to a deficit in collagen production. Smoking is also counterproductive as the chemicals in the smoke damage collagen and nicotine narrows the blood capillaries in the skin.
Conclusion
Collagen is extremely important not only for maintaining the firmness of our skin but also its regenerative properties that are responsible for our youthful looks. Eczema scars heal far faster and better if your collagen production is normal.