02 Feb Are Collagen Dressings the Answer to Better Post-Surgical Wound Healing?

When you or a loved one undergoes surgery, one of the biggest hurdles you’ll have to face is recovery. You might still have some internal aches and pains. But there is also the surgical site to consider. Wound healing can be complex, and it’s something that can involve complications if not managed properly. Fortunately, collagen dressings are helping patients get better results in post-surgical wound healing. Here’s what you need to know. 

What is collagen?

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body. It is a vital component of the extracellular matrix or biological glue that provides support to cells. Collagen plays an essential role in every phase of wound healing due to the way the material attracts fibroblasts to the wound site. 

A fibroblast is a type of cell that contributes to the formation of connective tissue. These cells secrete collagen proteins that help maintain a tissue’s structural framework, whether there is healing taking place or not. 

How collagen dressings support wound healing

Wound healing takes place in three stages. During the first stage lasting just a few days, there is some inflammation and clotting to debride injured tissue and control bleeding. MMPs (matrix metalloproteases) flood the wound to break down damaged tissue. Growth factors also neutralize bacteria. 

During the second stage, lasting anywhere from two to six weeks, new blood vessels form. The body’s natural collagen helps the wound close and heal. During the final stage, lasting up to 18 months, collagen in the wound strengthens the area, and scars fade. 

While the body does produce some natural collagen, collagen dressings support wound healing because they supplement this beneficial material. Collagen encourages the creation of new tissue and the formation of granulated tissue in the wound bed, which fills wound deficits. 

While MMPs have a role to play in early wound healing, excessive amounts of these materials in the wound bed can break down natural collagen and delay healing. So, including collagen dressings provides an alternative collagen source for post-surgical wounds, which accelerates healing, reduces inflammation, and can even decrease healing time. 

Get collagen dressing with FritzFinn’s SMARTKITS

The American College of Surgeons recommends collagen dressings as a treatment for post-surgical wounds. So, how can you begin using these solutions? SMARTKITS™ can help.

SMARTKITS are an all-in-one wound care package delivered directly to the patient’s door. The kit includes everything a patient needs for a single wound care dressing, such as gloves, saline, gauze, a customized dressing…and collagen. The collagen included in each SMARTKIT is top-quality – they are 100% percent Type 1 Native Bovine collagen. There are no additives, fillers, or synthetics in the biodegradable and biocompatible dressings. These dressings come in various shapes and sizes to fill all types of wounds, a unique feature for a customized at-home wound care solution. 

SMARKITS are unique because they are convenient, fast, personalized, and effective. If you’d like to learn more about using SMARTKITS, including collagen, for your post-surgical wound care, contact us today to learn more about using SMARTKITS as an effective and convenient wound care solution.