Case Series: The Effectiveness of Fatty Acids from Pracaxi Oil in a Topical Silicone Base for Scar and Wound Therapy

Abstract

IntroductionWounding affects the integrity of the skin and can ultimately result in skin scarring. Current therapeutic goals of wound treatment focus on the reduction of scar formation and severity. However, scar formation itself varies not only between individuals based on factors such as ethnicity, but also within an individual based on the location of the wound. Therefore, the preparation of customized treatments for individual patients represents an important therapeutic goal in the fields of dermatology and wound healing. The objective of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of fatty acids found in pracaxi oil in a compounded topical anhydrous silicone base for wound and scar therapy.MethodsInitially, 21 patients with various surgical, traumatic, or burn wounds and scars were enrolled into this case series. Patients applied a compounded topical anhydrous silicone base containing pracaxi oil with or without additional active ingredients, including pentoxifylline, caffeine, tranilast, and mupirocin. Wound/scar photographs taken before and after application of the compounded pracaxi oil topical formulation (with/without additional ingredients) were reviewed and adjudicated by a blinded dermatology reviewer. Improvements in wound size, coloration, and overall appearance before and after treatment were determined. Patient satisfaction was assessed after application of compounded topical formulation using a self-report questionnaire distributed at the time of dispensing.ResultsA total of seven patients were considered available for analysis and were included in the study. In all seven cases, patients reported improvement in scar and wound attributes, including scar and wound size, severity, color, and pain associated with the scar or wound after application of the compounded medicine. On average, patients rated their satisfaction with treatment highly, with a mean score of 10 on a rating scale of 1–10. Retrospective review of wound/scar photographs demonstrated clinically relevant improvements in wound attributes as assessed by a dermatologist. Six of the seven wounds examined were considered “much improved” from baseline.ConclusionsApplication of a compounded anhydrous silicone base containing pracaxi oil alone or in combination with other active substances led to considerable improvements in wound healing and scar attributes and is a potentially useful option in the treatment of surgical, traumatic, or burn wounds and scars.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s13555-014-0065-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Use of a topical anhydrous silicone base containing fatty acids from pracaxi oil in a patient with a diabetic ulcer

“…Therefore, a compounding base containing pracaxi oil with high levels of beneficial fatty acids has been shown to positively influence wound healing and lessen scar formation. 16 Moreover, the ability to add active ingredients to this base allows for the treatment of more severe and more complex lesions, such as diabetic ulcers, as demonstrated in the case presented here.…”

SCryPTA:A web-based platform for analyzing Small-Angle Scattering curves of lyotropic liquid crystals

“…It has interesting properties like antifungal, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects 40 . Besides that, it also presents capacity to heal scars fast 41 and also has repellent effect against Aedes aegypti. TWEEN 80 is a well-known polysorbate frequently used in cosmetics and food.…”

“…It has interesting properties like antifungal, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects 54 . Besides that, it also presents capacity to heal scars fast 55 Fd3m (green lines).…”

Update on Postsurgical Scar Management

“…PracaSil has been shown to be effective in improving scar appearance and symptomology in a case series; however, it remains unclear whether these results are due to its added ingredient or whether they are solely attributed to the moisture delivered by the silicone gel itself, similar to silicone gel sheets. 30…”